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Gejie (Gekko gecko)

Pungent in flavor, neutral in nature, with slight toxicity. It primarily treats chronic pulmonary tuberculosis (pulmonary consumption) and infectious wasting diseases (transmission corpse), expels evil qi from ghosts and spirits, alleviates cough, relieves strangury (painful or difficult urination), and promotes the flow of water passages. It is produced in the valleys of Lingnan, as well as on city walls or large trees. The body is four to five cun long, and the tail is equal in length to the body. Its shape resembles a large shou gong (a type of gecko/lizard). They usually live in pairs, one male and one female, and often call out their own name, "Gejie." They are most protective of their tails; if they see someone attempting to catch them, they often bite off their own tails, causing the catcher to abandon the attempt. When harvesting Gejie, one must preserve the tail because the therapeutic efficacy is complete only then. *Fangyan* states: In Guilin, the shou gong that can vocalize is called Gejie. This is likely due to their similarity. (Now appended.)

Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully note according to *Lingbiao Luyi*: Gejie has a head resembling a toad, with fine scales on its back like silkworm eggs, yellowish-brown in color, short body, and long tail. It often nests in banyan trees, within the walls of Duanzhou, or between halls and city towers. It calls out morning and evening, saying "Gejie." Some say each call represents one year of life. Local people collect it and sell it in markets as medicine, which can treat lung diseases. Physicians state that the medicinal power lies in the tail; those without complete tails are ineffective. Rihua Zi states: Non-toxic. It treats lung qi, stops cough, regulates menstruation, expels stone strangury, and treats blood disorders. Also known as Hexie. For preparation, remove the head and feet, wash away the dirt inside the scales and fringes, and roast with butter for best results.

*Tujing Bencao* states that Gejie grows in the valleys of Lingnan, on city walls, or among large trees, and is now also found outside the passes. The head resembles a toad, with fine scales on the back like silkworm eggs, yellowish like soil, four to five cun long, with a tail equal to the body. It belongs to the category of shou gong and yanting (geckos). Thus, Yang Xiong's *Fangyan* says: In Guilin, the shou gong that can vocalize is commonly called Gejie, meaning it calls its own name when vocalizing. The medicinal efficacy is entirely in the tail. When caught, it bites off its tail to escape. Nests are mostly based on banyan wood, but some are in old houses or city towers. People who want heads and tails intact use a long-handled two-pronged iron fork, shaped like a sticky millet pole, waiting among banyan trees. They stab with the fork so that one prong hits the brain and the other catches the tail, preventing it from biting off the tail. They usually move with one male and one female following each other; for medicinal use, both should be used. Some say yang-deficient patients use females, and yin-deficient patients use males.

*Haiyao Bencao* states: According to *Guangzhou Ji*: Produced in the waters of Guangnan, with males and females, resembling small mice, residing on banyan trees at night; one cast nets yields two catches. *Lingwai Lu* states: Head like a toad, fine scales on the back, short body, long tail. Calls "Gejie" morning and evening. Locals collect it, cut open the belly, spread it with bamboo strips, dry it in the sun, and sell it in markets. The efficacy is in the tail; incomplete tails are ineffective. Locals use it to treat fractures. Recently, it is also produced in the Western Route; although smaller, its nourishing power is similar. Non-toxic. It mainly treats lung flaccidity (pulmonary atrophy), upward rushing of qi (asthma), hemoptysis, and cough. It is suitable for use in pills and powders. When using, roast until yellow and cooked, crush finely. Place a small amount in the mouth; if it makes one run without panting, it is authentic. Leigong states: When using, distinguish male and female. Males are called "Ha," with rough skin, large mouth, small body, and thick tail; females are called "Jie," with pointed mouth, large body, and thin tail. Men take females, women take males. For processing and taking, remove claws, fur on the tail and abdomen. The toxicity is in the eyes. After such processing, soak in wine, dry, wrap in two layers of paper, and slowly roast over fire through the paper. When the two layers of paper are dry and thoroughly scorched, remove the paper, place Gejie in a porcelain vessel, hang it in the corner of the eastern room overnight, then use. The efficacy becomes ten times greater. Do not damage the tail, as the effect lies in the tail.

*Yanyi* states: Gejie is effective in tonifying lung deficiency and treating consumptive cough, curing chronic cough that does not heal. If empty heat accumulates in the lungs, ulcers form over time, leading to coughing up pus and blood, day and night without stopping. There is air blockage in the throat and chest diaphragm obstruction/pain. Use Gejie, Ejiao (Donkey-hide gelatin), raw rhino horn, deer antler glue, and antelope horn, each 1 liang. Except for the glues, all are ground into powder, then mixed with the glues, divided into four doses. Each dose uses three sheng of river water, boiled slowly in a silver or ceramic vessel to half a sheng. Filter out the dregs. Take warm, sipping slowly before sleep. Wait until the dregs are fully consumed, then pound them again, combine into one dose, add three sheng of water, boil to half a sheng, and take as before. If the patient is chronically deficient and dislikes water, gradually reduce the amount of water. Zhang Gao, son of Minister Zhang Xingbu, was critically ill. Tian Kuang, Military Commissioner Tian, sent this prescription, and he recovered.