Library

[Feilian (Blatta orientalis)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic.
Indications: Mainly treats blood stasis syndromes characterized by hard masses, alternating chills and fever, breaks up accumulations and mass formations, treats obstruction and blockage in the throat and pharynx, infertility (Wu Zi), and promotes the free flow of vessels and collaterals.
Habitat: Grows in the rivers, marshes, and between eaves of houses in Jinyang. Harvested at Start of Autumn.
Commentary by Tao Hongjing: Its shape resembles that of a horsefly but is lighter and smaller, capable of flight; originally found in grass. In August and September, sensing the cold, it often enters human dwellings for shelter. There are two or three types; those with the aroma of ginger root are considered authentic, and people in the south also consume them.
Note from Tang Ben: This insect has a pungent, spicy taste and an odor; people in Hanzhong eat it. (Text fragment missing). The content of Tu Jing is detailed under the entry for Mu Meng.

[Tubiechong (Eupolyphaga sinensis)]
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic.
Indications: Mainly treats chills and shivering in the heart and abdomen, blood accumulations and mass formations (Zheng Jia), breaks up hardness, resolves blood obstruction, and is highly beneficial for conception.
Alternative Name: Tubie (Earth Turtle).
Habitat: Grows in the rivers, marshes, sands of Hedong, and in moist soil under walls of houses. Dried in October.
Aversion: Averse to Saponaria officinalis (Zaojiao) and Acorus tatarinowii (Changpu).
Commentary by Tao Hongjing: Flat in shape like a turtle, hence the name Tubie; possesses a shell, cannot fly, has a slight odor, and is now commonly found in households.
Note from Tang Ben: ...
According to Yao Xing Lun by Chen Yuxi et al.: Tubiechong acts as an assistant drug, averse to Wuyou (a type of insect). Taste: Bitter, Salty. Treats amenorrhea (Yue Shui Bu Tong) and breaks up stagnant blood accumulations.
Tu Jing states: Tubiechong grows in the rivers, marshes, sands of Hedong, and moist soil under house walls. It resembles Centipede (Shufu), with larger specimens being over one cun long, flat in shape like a turtle.
Medical Formulas: For treating lower bleeding...
Yan Yi states: Tubiechong is now called Boji Chong (Winnowing Basket Insect) due to its shape. For lactation failure (Ru Mai Bu Xing), grind one specimen, add half he of water, filter the clear liquid, and administer. Do not...

[Jiaoyu Pi (Shark Skin)]
Indications: Mainly treats Gu Qi (parasitic disease/ghost qi); used in Gu Zhu formulas. It refers to the skin of the shark used to decorate sword hilts.
Note from Tang Ben: Produced in the South Sea. Shape resembles a turtle, without legs but with a tail.
Current verification based on Chen Cangqi's Ben Cao: Also known as Sha Yu (Sand Fish) and Fu Yu.
Skin... only lacks...
Tu Jing states: Jiaoyu Pi was not recorded in older texts regarding its place of origin. Su Gong stated it comes from the South Sea. Shape resembles a turtle, without legs but with a tail. Shan Hai Jing states: Jia... Sha Yu, whose skin can be used to decorate swords. Now, people in the south simply call it Sha Yu. However, there are two types: the largest with a long, saw-like snout is called Hu Sha..., possessing mild nature and delicious meat; the smaller one with rough skin is called Bai Sha, with tough meat and slight toxicity. Both types are salted and dried by locals for provisions. Their skins are scraped clean of sand, sliced into thin pieces, and are considered delicacies that benefit health. However, they do not resemble turtles; this is merely a difference in species.
Hu Qia treats Wu Shi Gui Zhu (Five Corpse Ghost Afflictions) and various toxic evil airs using Jiaoyu Pi Powder. Ingredients include: Jiaoyu Pi (roasted), Cinnabar (Zhusha), Realgar (Xionghuang), Jin Ya, Zanthoxylum (Jiao), Aconitum carmichaelii (Tianxiong), Asarum (Xixin), Podophyllum (Guijiu), Musk (Shexiang), Dried Ginger (Ganjiang), Clove (Jishe Xiang), Cinnamon Twig Heart (Guixin), and Aristolochia debilis (Mangcao), each 1 liang; Fritillaria (Beimu) 0.5 liang; Centipede (Wugong, roasted) and Geckos (Yixi, roasted) 2 each. Total sixteen substances. Grind into powder and sift. Take half a qian bi with warm clear wine, three times daily, gradually increasing to five fen bi. It may also be worn on the body. The inclusion of Centipede and Geckos belongs to this category of ingredients, hence the formula is recorded together.
Chen Cangqi states: The skin treats poisoning from eating fish; burn to ash and take orally. Fu Yu skin, used for sword hilts, is indeed Sha Yu. Shi Jueming (Haliotidis Concha) is also named Fu Yu Jia; it attaches to stones on one side, bright and lovely. This creature belongs to the mollusk family, not fish; it shares the same name. Sha Yu, also known as Jiaoyu, swims following its mother; if startled, the young enter the mother's mouth and then her abdomen. The appearance of this fish varies; its skin has sand, which can be used to polish wood, similar to Equisetum (Muzei).
Shi Liao states: Nature: Neutral. Tonifies the Five Zang Organs. Eating it as raw slices (Kuai) is second only to Crucian Carp. Cooking methods are similar. Additionally, for severe throat obstruction (Hou Bi), take bile mixed with alum ash, form pills the size of bean seeds, wrap in cotton, and insert into the throat. After a while, vomit out foul saliva and foam, and the throat will open. Collect in the twelfth lunar month.
Hai Yao follows Mingyi Bie Lu stating: Grows in the South Sea. Taste: Sweet, Salty. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Treats Xin Qi Gui Zhu (Heart Qi ghost affliction), Gu Du, hematemesis; skin has pearl-like spots.
Yan Yi states: Jiaoyu and Sha Yu skins are essentially the same with slight shape differences; now people use the skin to decorate saddles and swords. The rest is as described in the Classics.