Library

He Kou Jiao (Capsicum annuum var. conoides) is toxic. White Jiao (Capsicum annuum) is toxic. Wood ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) is toxic if snakes or insects have passed underneath it; those growing on maple trees cause uncontrollable laughter; those that change color after harvesting are toxic; those that appear shiny at night are toxic; those that are rotting but not producing worms are toxic; all of these conditions can be treated with crushed winter melon vines.

(Added in the Jiyou year from *Bencao Yan Yi*)

Taste: bitter. Nature: warm, slightly cold. Non-toxic. Mainly treats five types of strangury and Guan Ge (obstruction syndrome), promotes urination through the water passages, treats pediatric epilepsy, adult aphasia due to stroke, and restores normal spiritual functions. Decocting hair with egg yolk until it turns into liquid treats pediatric convulsive fever and dysentery.

Tao Hongjing states: Li Yun claims this refers to the hair of virgin boys and girls. Regarding the matter of "spiritual transformation," no other prescriptions have been observed. Currently, old women in the folk tradition make "egg decoctions" for children by boiling hair mixed in it for a long time, then giving the juice to the child to remove phlegm-heat and treat various diseases. The hair used is typically taken from the father's disheveled combings. It is unclear what specific substance this hair represents. Moreover, this character does not appear in standard dictionaries, or perhaps it is pronounced like "suan" (garlic); people now refer to graying hair as "suan fa" (garlic hair), and calligraphers also refer to disheveled hair as "quan." It is likely that this character corresponds to the pronunciation of "Shun." The theory regarding virgin boys remains unclear. The Tang Dynasty *Xin Xiu Ben Cao* notes: This is the root of the hair; using aged hair yields miraculous effects. Thus, the character "fa" (hair) was mistaken. Since there is already "disheveled hair" and "scalp dirt," the explanation here is missing. Furthermore, scalp dirt has inferior efficacy compared to hair, similar to how aged rush mats, boat rushes, decaying sky birds, and woven mats are used in treatment. Zhen Liyan writes it as "Kong" (pronounced zong). "Kong" also means hair. There is no such character in dictionaries, only "fa quan" (curly/beautiful hair). "Quan" describes beautiful hair, pronounced qiu quan, having sound but no substance, whereas "Kong" is the authentic character. Minister Yu Xi et al. carefully note according to the Shu edition: *Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing* states: "It still returns to spiritual transformation." Li Yun says: "The matter of spiritual transformation has not been seen in other prescriptions." According to *Yi Yuan*: Human hair transforms into eels. This strange phenomenon of spiritual transformation should refer to this. Ri Hua Zi states: Hair is warm. It stops bleeding, treats blood stagnation causing dizziness, traumatic wounds exposed to wind, and bloody dysentery. When used in medicine, it must be burned to ash without being over-burned. In ointments, it promotes flesh growth and resolves blood stasis.

Chen Cangqi states: Hanging human hair from living persons on fruit trees prevents crows from eating the fruit. Also, if someone flees, taking their hair and spinning it backwards on a weaver's shuttle will cause them to become confused and lost. Lei Gong states: For usage, one must select hair cut from the crown of a man aged twenty or older, who is free of disease and has a ruddy complexion. When used in pills, powders, or ointments, first soak the hair in Sophora root water overnight, drain it, place it in a bottle, fire it until red hot, let it cool, and grind it for use. *Zhou Hou Bei Ji Fang*: Treats stone stranguria. Burn to ash and take with water; effective. *Shang Han Lei Yao* treats jaundice. Take the ash, administer one Cun Bi (a measure) with water, three times daily.

*Bencao Yan Yi* states: Kong and disheveled hair are two distinct grades. Kong tastes bitter and refers to hair that has aged over years. Just as tangerine peel is always tangerine peel, but the aged variety is selected. Wild Wolf毒 (Daphne genkwa), Ephedra, Evodia, Pinellia, and Immature Bitter Orange all require aged versions, known as the "Six Aged Herbs," which are more effective in medicine. Decayed rush mats are the same; this explains the rationale for usage. People now also call it head Kong. In the entry for disheveled hair, there is originally no meaning of Kong; these two meanings are clear, and there is no need for such excessive textual research. On the right: Use disheveled hair the size of an egg, burn it to black char in a non-oily vessel, grind it locally into powder, pour one cup of good wine over it, add two Qian of Polygonum multiflorum powder, stir evenly, wait until warm, and灌 (administer). After swallowing, wait one to two Ke (time units) and administer again. This is extremely effective for treating tetanus and wind-stroke acquired after washing hair.