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Crab (Xie)
Taste: Salty. Nature: Cold. Toxicity: Toxic.
Indications: Primarily treats heat accumulation and pain in the chest caused by pathogenic factors, hemiplegia or deviation of the body, and facial swelling. When calcined, it attracts mice. It resolves nodules, dissipates blood stasis, heals lacquer dermatitis, nourishes tendons, and supplements qi.
Claws: Indicated for rupturing the amniotic sac and inducing abortion. Grows in waters such as the Yi River, Luo River, ponds, and marshes. Can be harvested at any time. (Able to neutralize Datura [Lángdàng] toxicity and lacquer toxicity.)
Tao Hongjing stated: There are many types of crabs, including Scylla serrata (Yóu), fiddler crab (Yōngjiàn), and small shore crabs (Péngqí), but none are used in medicine. Only common crabs are most widely used. In immortal prescriptions: it can dissolve lacquer into water; ingesting it promotes longevity. If irrigated with black dog's blood for three days and then calcined, all mice will gather. Crabs that have not yet experienced frost are highly toxic, said to result from consuming aquatic Datura [Lángdàojian]; if humans ingest this toxin and treatment is not immediate, death often ensues. Crabs with eyes facing each other are also lethal. Ingesting winter melon juice, perilla juice, or Rhubarb Pill (Dahuang Wan) can detoxify them.
Péngqí (Huá): Resembles Péngqí but larger, resembles crab but smaller; inedible. When Cai Mo first crossed the Yangtze River, he did not recognize it and ate it, nearly dying. He sighed, saying, "My familiarity with the *Erya* was insufficient; I was misled by those who urged learning." Current research based on Chen Cangqi's *Bencao* states: The marrow and brain within the crab legs, along with the roe inside the shell, are about one cun long, and are transported eastward to the Sea God. The abdomen still contains seawater when opened. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* states: Those from the Yi and Luo rivers are stone crabs, differing in shape and segments. Their roe applied externally heals chronic carbuncles and sores without exception. Ministers Yuxi et al., according to Chen Cangqi, state: Scylla serrata (Yóumóu) primarily treats mild cases of abdominal distension and masses; boiling and eating it is effective. Large ones are over a chi long, with two powerful chelae capable of fighting tigers in August, defeating them. They molt with the high tide retreat, growing once after each molt. Fiddler crab (Yōngjiàn), also known as Jiébù, has one extremely small claw and fights using the large one. Eating the small one yields no special efficacy. Small shore crabs (Péngqí) have slight toxicity; their paste treats wet tinea and carbuncles that do not heal when applied topically. Consuming its meat causes vomiting and diarrhea leading to exhaustion. This is what Cai Mo mistakenly ate when crossing the river. Small shore crabs resemble small crabs, lack hair, and are eaten by coastal people but offer no special efficacy. Meng Shen stated: Crab primarily disperses various heat pathogens. It regulates stomach qi, smooths meridians, and aids digestion. Eating after the "shooting of rice awns" in August is good; before that, they are immature. Eating with vinegar benefits the joints and removes stagnation and irritability in the five zang organs. Although unappealing in appearance, it is pleasant to eat. Ri Huazi stated: Crab is cool and slightly toxic. It treats postpartum abdominal pain and lochia retention when taken with wine. For tendon rupture and bone fractures, raw crushed crab, stir-fried, is effective. Claws break old blood stasis, stop postpartum blood obstruction and abdominal pain; decocted with wine and vinegar water, they are effective. Additionally: Scylla serrata (Yóumóu) is cold and non-toxic. It clears heat and treats pediatric abdominal masses.
Tu Jing stated: Crab grows in waters such as the Yi River, Luo River, ponds, and marshes. Currently, there are many in Huaihai, Jingdong, and the marshes of Hebei, while those from Yi and Luo are rare. They have eight legs and two chelae. Large ones have box-like horns protruding from both sides; leg joints are curved, and they walk sideways. Now considered a delicacy, single-eyed crabs or those with eyes facing each other possess great toxicity and are inedible. Their roe dissolves lacquer, hence used for lacquer dermatitis. Roe and meat calcined to powder, inserted into traumatic wounds, can reconnect severed tendons. Calcining roe and chelae produces smoke that attracts mice to the courtyard. Claws are most commonly used in medicine. Hu Qia's prescription for pregnant women who fall, causing the fetus to shift upward and compress the heart leading to critical condition, includes Crab Claw Decoction (Xièzhǎo Tāng). The Classics state: Harvest at any time. Folk tradition says on the first day of the eighth lunar month, two rice awns, about one to two cun long, are transported eastward to the Sea God. Thus, in the South today: caught crabs may carry rice awns if harvested early; only after this period are they edible. Before this time, they are immature; if eaten, quickly resolving with soybean paste juice. Wide-shelled crabs with abundant roe are named Scylla serrata (Yóumóu), living in the South China Sea. Their chelae are sharpest, cutting objects like grass; eating them promotes the movement of wind qi. Flat and largest, with broad hind legs, are Scylla serrata (Yóumóu), called "Bozhouzi" (Oar Sub) in Lingnan due to the oar-like shape of their hind legs. Also named Scylla serrata (Yóumóu). They molt with the tide retreat, growing once after each molt. Large ones are the size of a sheng, small ones the size of a cup or plate. Two chelae lack hair, differing from common crabs in location. Their strength is immense, capable of fighting tigers, often winning. They treat pediatric abdominal masses; boiling and feeding them is good. One large chela and one small chela are named Fiddler Crab (Yōngjiàn), also Jiébù. They fight with the large chela and eat with the small one. Also named Zhihuò (Holding Fire) because their chelae are red. The smallest is named Small Shore Crab (Péngqí, Huá), mispronounced as Péngyuè in Wu dialect. The *Erya* states: (Zé), small ones (Lìdāo qiē). Guo Pu stated: This is Small Shore Crab (Péngqí), resembling a crab but smaller; its paste treats tinea, and eating it causes vomiting and diarrhea leading to exhaustion. Small shore crabs (Péngqí) are of the same category; this is what Cai Mo mistakenly ate.
Shiliao stated: Crabs with spotted legs and red eyes are inedible and lethal. Furthermore, they treat stomach qi and aid digestion. Before August, each crab contains one grain of rice in its abdomen, transported to the Sea God. After the awn-shooting period and past August, they are good to eat. Those exposed to frost are even more delicious; unexposed ones are toxic. Furthermore, salted and pickled as 'zha' (fermented fish/crab paste), they have an aroma. Eaten with vinegar, they benefit joints and remove stagnation and irritability in the five zang organs. Though ugly in appearance, they are beneficial to eat. Claws calm the spirit. Applying crushed crab is also effective. Another formula for traumatic wounds to reconnect tendons often uses calcined powder of crab roe, brain, and leg meat.
Sun Simiao stated: Do not eat crab in the twelfth month as it damages the spirit. Jianyao Jizhong treats infant cranial fontanelle non-closure. Raw crab foot bones (ban liang), dried, white peony root (Bailian, ban liang), powdered. Mixed with breast milk, applied to the suture line until healed. Yang Shi Chanru: Pregnant women must not eat crab as it causes transverse presentation. Xun Zi stated: Crab has six legs and two chelae; without snake or eel burrows, it has nowhere to rest. Any eel poisoning can be resolved by eating crab, as eels fear crabs. Crab is related to eels. Mutual resolution among similar species acts faster than others. Shen Kuo's Bitan states: No crabs in Guanzhong; locals dislike their shape, considering them monsters. A household in Qinzhou kept a dried crab; a person with malaria borrowed it to hang on the door, often recovering. Not only humans do not recognize it, ghosts do not either.
Yanyi stated: Crabs are rare in Yi and Luo rivers; now mostly come from the capital, which purchases from Hebei. Hebei border areas like Cang and Ying prefectures produce many; Xuzhou also has some, but inferior to Hebei's. Infant cranial fontanelle non-closure: crush chelae and Bletilla striata (Baiji), apply to the fontanelle to close the skull. This substance easily agitates wind; those with wind diseases should not eat it; this has been observed repeatedly. People in Hebei catch them during the "crab wave" in August and September, directly on the banks of ponds and lakes, waiting. This creature molts like a cicada at the end of summer and beginning of autumn. The naming of "crab" likely derives from this meaning.