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Antelope Horn (Lingyangjiao)

Salty, bitter, cold, slightly cold, non-toxic. Primarily treats brightening the eyes, benefiting Qi, raising Yin (elevating Yang energy), expelling downward-flowing evil blood, warding off gu poison, malevolent ghosts, and inauspicious influences, calming the heart Qi, preventing nightmares during sleep, treating shanghan (cold damage), alternating chills and fever caused by epidemic qi, heat in the skin and muscles, toxic pathogens from warm winds latent between bones, dispelling evil qi, startling dreams, mania, delirium, and dysphagia. Long-term use strengthens sinews and bones, lightens the body, raises Yin, benefits Qi, and is advantageous for men. It grows in the valleys of Shicheng Mountain and Huayin Mountain; it can be harvested at any time.

Tao Hongjing stated: Currently, it comes from the barbarian regions of Jianping and Yidu, as well as the Western Regions. Most have two horns, with single-horned ones being superior. The horn has many nodes, tightly coiled. There is also a goat horn that is extremely long, with nodes only on one side, which are sparse and large, and is not used in medicine. *Erya* calls it Yuan sheep (Yuan yang), while Qiang and Yi people say: Only this is called Antelope Horn, which is very capable of climbing steep terrain. The short-horned ones are indeed goats. Its exact name remains unclear. The *Tang Bencao Zhu* states: *Erya* says: Ling is a large sheep. The sheep is as big as an ox, and its horn can serve as a saddle arch. Also known as Yuan sheep, commonly called goat or wild sheep. It fights to the death. There is also a mountain donkey, as big as a deer, whose hide can be used for boots; it has two horns, the size of which resembles goat horns. The previously mentioned type with wrinkles on one side that are sparse and slow refers to this. Tao Hongjing did not recognize it and mistakenly identified it as a goat. Both types are not used in medicine, although laypeople also use mountain donkey horns. The horns currently used are thin as a human finger, four to five cun long, with fine wrinkle patterns. They are abundant in Nanshan, Shangzhou, and Zhejiang areas; currently, Liangzhou, Zhizhou, and Yangzhou also offer them as tribute. According to Chen Cangqi's *Bencao*: Antelope horn primarily treats stream toxins, palpitations, restlessness, insomnia, malignant qi and toxins in the chest and heart, and scrofula. The meat treats snake bites and malignant sores. Goat, mountain donkey, and antelope are similar; physicians rely on market vendors, leading to errors in decoctions and pills. Moreover, antelope horn possesses spiritual properties; when resting at night, it hangs its horn on trees without touching the ground. One should select the curved part of the horn that is deep, sharp, tight, and small, retaining hanging marks; those that are smooth without marks are fake. This distinction applies, with no other differences. Authentic horns produce a rustling sound when held to the ear; these are good. Tao's claim about single-horned ones is erroneous. Ministers Yu Xi et al., according to *Yaoxing Lun*, state: Antelope horn is a minister herb, sweet in taste. It can treat all heat-toxin wind attacks, sudden poisoning by evil wind, sudden death with confusion and loss of consciousness, dissipate postpartum blood stagnation causing irritability, and when calcined into powder and taken with wine, it treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy, mountain miasma, and can disperse evil blood. Calcined ash treats dysphagia. Meng Shen said: People in the north often eat antelope; those in the south who eat it avoid injury from snakes and insects. Stir-fried with Schisandra chinensis (Wuweizi), soaked in wine overnight, and drunk, it treats stiff sinews and stroke due to wind. Additionally, the horn treats wind-stroke with tendon spasms and pain adhering to the bone; when raw, ground and mixed with water, applied to swellings and malignant sores, it is effective. For sudden heat syncope, powdered horn mixed with honey is taken. It also treats heat-toxin dysentery and bloody dysentery.

*Tujing* states: Antelope horn grows in the valleys of Shicheng Mountain and Huayin Mountain; it is now found in the mountains of Qin, Long, Long, Shu, Jin, and Shangzhou. Barbarians capture them for trade; they resemble sheep, are green and large, with horns one to two chi long, having nodes resembling finger grip marks, and are very tough. The horns currently used in medicine are of this type. According to *Erya*: Ling is a large sheep. (Pronounced yuan), resembling a sheep. Guo Pu's commentary notes: Ling resembles a sheep but is larger, with round and sharp horns, preferring cliff sides; Yuan sheep resembles Wu sheep but is larger with elliptical horns, originating from the West. Xu Shen's commentary on *Shuowen Jiezi* states: Ling is a large sheep with fine horns. Tao Hongjing identified antelope horns as those with many nodes tightly coiled; whereas horns that are extremely long with nodes only on one side, which are sparse and large, are goat horns. Goats are what *Erya* refers to as Yuan sheep. The Tang annotation identifies horns with wrinkles on one side that are sparse and smooth as mountain donkey horns, noting that contemporary people also use them. It further specifies that horns thin as a finger, four to five cun long, with fine wrinkle patterns are usable. Chen Cangqi stated: Antelopes rest at night by hanging their horns on wood without touching the ground; selecting the curved part that is deep, sharp, tight, and retains hanging marks indicates authenticity. Observing current market goods, they largely resemble the Yuan sheep described in *Erya*, the goat noted by Tao, and the mountain donkey in the Tang annotation. Contemporary usage accepts Yuan sheep horns that are thin, four to five cun long, like a human finger, with many tightly coiled nodes; often, there are wear marks in the curve where horns rubbed against each other. These are abundant in the capital. Detailed examination of *Bencao* and various sources suggests this is the true Yuan sheep, yet most people do not use it, and the reason is unknown. Chen Cangqi also claimed: Authentic horns produce a rustling sound when held to the ear; this is good. However, horns of cattle and sheep also make sounds when killed, so this is not exclusive to antelope horns; naturally dead ones produce no sound.

Lei Gong mentioned that the divine sheep horn used has twenty-four nodes and contains a natural wooden core within. This horn possesses spiritual power, equivalent to a thousand oxen. When processing, do not use it alone, as it will lose efficacy; it must be kept intact, bound with rope, and filed with an iron file, taking small amounts gradually, avoiding exposure to wind. The unfiled portion must be wrapped in three layers of paper to prevent potency loss. Once filed, it is pounded separately, sifted repeatedly in the wind direction away from the head, and then added to medicines. Further grinding ten thousand times is better to avoid scraping the intestines. For dietary therapy of shanghan heat-toxin and lower bleeding, taking the powder cures immediately. It also treats hernia. *Waitai Miyao* treats dysphagia with antelope horn shavings; take one cun-bi dose with water, or rub the horn on the throat area, which is effective. *Qianjin Fang* treats postpartum chest oppression, unconsciousness, and sweating; calcine antelope horn into powder, take one cun-bi dose with flowing eastward water, repeat if not cured. *Zhouhou Beiji Fang* treats rebellious blood and qi causing irritability and fullness; calcine antelope horn or water sheep horn into powder, take one cun-bi dose with water. *Zimu Milu* treats chest and hypochondriac pain, abdominal pain, and heat-fullness; calcine antelope horn into powder, take one cun-bi dose with water. Another formula treats infantile profuse diarrhea; burn the bone inside the sheep horn into powder, take one cun-bi dose with water. *Chanbao Ling* facilitates childbirth; take one piece of antelope horn, scrape the tip into powder, mix with wine, take one cun-bi dose.

*Yanyi* states: Currently, antelope horns with hanging marks are selected. Chen Cangqi preferred those that rustle when held to the ear. This is a forced assertion, not verified through extensive testing. Now, holding other horns to the ear produces rustling sounds, making the "hanging mark" criterion more definitive. However, many fakes exist, so careful inspection is necessary.