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Hu Ma Oil (Sesame Oil)

Nature is slightly cold; it benefits the Large Intestine. For retained placenta, raw Hu Ma Oil can be applied to swellings and sores, or used to promote hair growth in areas of baldness.

Tao Hongjing stated: Raw sesame oil obtained by direct pressing, if steamed or stir-fried, is only suitable for food and fuel consumption, not for medicinal use. *Yao Xing Lun* states: Raw Hu Ma Oil applied to the head promotes hair growth. Chen Cangqi stated: Hu Ma Oil is extremely cold in nature; it treats epidemic heat constipation (constipation due to exogenous heat pathogens) and clears internal intestinal heat. Take one he (a unit of volume), stopping when bowel movement occurs. Consumed cooked oil damages the voice and causes heaviness in the body. Raw oil kills parasites and is applied to malignant sores.

*Tujing Bencao* details are recorded under the Sesame entry.

*Shiliao Bencao* states: It treats aphonia (loss of voice); application promotes hair growth. In *Yeren Xianhua*, the chapter on Master Du's Ascension: Applying sesame oil to both feet, wrapped in silk cloth, allows walking ten thousand li per day.

Nature is extremely cold, non-toxic. Treats deficiency exhaustion, lubricates the intestines and stomach, moves wind qi, unblocks blood vessels, removes floating wind from the head and face, and moistens the skin. Consume one he of raw oil after meals, persistently throughout life. If consumed by a nursing mother, her child will never fall ill. For external heat pathogens, it can be taken as a juice drink. Old stored oil may induce cholera. Additionally, chewing raw oil and applying it to various sores on a child's head is effective. Long-term consumption depletes muscle mass. Raw oil is cold; roasted oil is hot. The leaves, crushed and mixed with fermented grain water, strained, and used for washing hair, remove wind and nourish hair. This oil is cold-natured and commonly used for cooking. Non-toxic, but it may induce cold diseases, lubricate bone marrow, cause thirst in the zang-fu organs, impair the Spleen, eliminate the Five Yellows (jaundice syndromes), drain heat toxins from the Triple Burner, unblock the Large and Small Intestines, treat heart pain caused by roundworms, apply to all sores, tinea, and scabies, and kill all parasites. Take one he of oil, two chicken eggs, and one qian of Mang Xiao (Mirabilite), mix and ingest; diarrhea will occur shortly after, which is excellent for treating severe heat toxins. For treating food stagnation, it must be boiled fresh daily; overnight oil induces gas. Those with dental issues or Spleen-Stomach weakness must absolutely avoid eating it. Aged oil fried into ointment generates flesh, stops pain, reduces abscesses, and repairs cracked skin. [Newly supplemented content] See Meng Shen, Chen Cangqi, Chen Shiliang, Ri Hua Zi.

*Tujing Bencao* states: You Ma (Oil Sesame) was not listed in the old *Ben Jing*. However, ancient medical formulas often use it. Non-toxic, lubricates intestines and stomach, moves wind qi, long-term consumption reduces muscle mass, raw is cold, roasted is hot. Immortal formula: Steaming prevents fasting (abstaining from grains); pressing yields oil, extremely cold, induces cold diseases, lubricates essence and marrow, causes thirst in zang-fu, leading to illness. *Jin Xiao Fang* records a Brahmin monk treating Feng Da Ji (Leprosy/Morbid Wind), Dan Shi Re Du (Heat toxicity from mineral pills), and Re Feng causing limb paralysis. Use two large sheng of Hu Ma Oil, place in a pot, cover mouth with earth bricks, seal with paper mud to prevent gas escape, slowly heat. Combine two large sheng of Hu Ma Oil, simmer gently, adjust heat as needed, store in a non-porous vessel. Administration: For patients with Feng Da Ji, use fire to induce sweating. Build a small paper house indoors, burn fire outside, let the patient sweat inside. Take one large he daily; if the patient is strong, take twice daily. Continue for 21 days (3x7 days); head and facial sores will vanish. If taking mineral pills and heat flares up, do not eat hot foods, wear thick clothes, or sleep on thick mats; two people share one dose. Administration same as above, no fire induction, avoid wind for 48 hours. If mineral toxicity flares, do not use this method; take one spoonful, let melt and swallow juice, heat subsides, follow medication taboos. Liu Yuxi's *Chuan Xin Fang*: For centipedes entering the ear, make pancakes with sesame oil and sleep on them; the centipede will exit spontaneously. When Li Yuan Chun served as Shangshu in Heyang, a centipede entered his ear. After half a month, loud buzzing in the brain, unbearable mental stuffiness, he even hit his head against doorposts, reporting critical condition. Due to suffering and despair, someone offered this prescription, and he recovered.

*Waitai Miyao*: Treats sensation of worms moving in chest and throat, specifically craving green onion and fermented soybean aroma, indicating parasitic disease. Fry green onions and fermented soybeans in oil until fragrant. Fast for two days, lie with mouth open, place oil, onions, and beans near the mouth. Worms will gradually emerge; slowly guide them out with an object. Another formula: Treats Shang Han (Cold Damage). On days 3-5, take one zhan of Hu Ma Oil, half zhan of water, one egg white, mix well, consume at once. Another formula: One da he of Hu Ma Oil, half sheng of clear wine, boil to three he, check temperature, remove seeds, drink in one go. Another formula: To drink one sheng of oil, fry with aromatic泽 (likely referring to a specific preparation or ingredient, context implies frying oil). Store in a large brass basin. Patient will likely fall into deep sleep, inducing worm expulsion. Attendants watch, prepare calcined stone powder. When worms appear, grasp with ash-dusted hand and pull out until finished. Initially expelled from abdomen, shape like thick vegetable soup in flowing water, varying length, no taboo. *Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*: Treats sudden heart pain. Warm and take half he of raw oil; cures. Another formula treats Dou Wang Chuang (Smallpox/Chickenpox). Take one sheng of sesame oil; must have bowel movement to prevent pus formation; highly effective. Jing Yan Hou Fang treats bites from centipedes and spiders. Grind sesame oil and apply; cures. Sun Simiao agrees. Sun Simiao's *Zhen Zhong Ji*: One sheng of Hu Ma Oil, three jin of Scallion Bulb (Xie Bai), cut until black, strain, mix with wine, take half to three he; fills meridians with blood and qi. Those taking mineral stones should first take... for prolapsed rectum. Use five jin of refined oil, cool in a basin, let the puerperal sit in the oil basin for the duration of a meal. Roast Gleditsia sinensis (Zao Jiao) until crisp, remove coarse skin, powder. Blow a small amount into nose to induce sneezing; immediate cure, miraculous effect. *Bowuzhi*: Accumulated oil reaching hundred dan contributed to the armory fire. Sai Shang Fang: Treats heart pain, regardless of cold or heat. Take one he of raw sesame oil. Tan Shi: Charred sesame oil, taken from the pot while hot, chewed and spat onto the wound to stop bleeding. Empress of Emperor Ming of Song suffered back pain radiating to the heart, hair grew like threads, three chi long, head resembling a snake, moving, dripping blood.

*Yanyi* states: Bai You Ma (White Oil Sesame) is identical to Hu Ma, differing only in color; this variety is paler, not purely white. Now called Zhi Ma (Sesame), detailed in previous entries. Roasted and pressed while hot yields "raw oil," suitable only for lamps. Must be re-boiled/refined to become "cooked oil" for consumption. Similarly, iron removed from fire is called "raw iron."