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Jin Xie (Gold Foliage/Flakes)
Pungent in flavor, neutral in nature, toxic. Primarily governs calming the spirit, strengthening the bone marrow, unblocking and benefiting the five zang organs, eliminating pathogenic evil qi, and taking it can lead to immortality. Produced in Yizhou. No specific time for collection.

Tao Hongjing stated: The production of gold is found everywhere, with abundant yields in Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Ningzhou. It emerges from water sands in flake form, referred to as Sheng Jin (Raw Gold). Raw Gold repels evil but is toxic; if not refined, ingestion will cause death. Jianping and Jin'an also have gold sand, emerging from stones, smelted and cast into pots; although subjected to fire, it is not fully cooked and requires further refining. Goryeo, Funan, and foreign regions in the Western Regions produce vessels that are fully refined and cooked, suitable for ingestion. The *Xian Jing* (Scripture of Immortals) records using vinegar, honey, pig fat, Mucuna pruriens var. angulata (Mujing), wine, etc., to refine and make gold soft for ingestion, leading to immortality. Aside from combining with Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银) to make Cinnabar (Dansha, 丹砂), medical prescriptions do not use it, likely due to concerns about its toxicity. The *Xian Fang* (Immortal Prescription) names gold as "Tai Zhen" (Great Truth). Currently, physicians use fully refined gold, gold foil, or juice extracted by boiling gold vessels in water, which is indeed non-toxic. Note: Chen Cangqi in *Shi Yi* (Supplementary Records) claimed that people in Lingnan said raw gold is venomous snake feces, implying toxicity. Commonly, people mine gold by digging over a zhang deep to Fenzi Stone layers, where stones are blackened on one end like scorched earth; beneath these stones lies gold, large as a finger, small as hemp seeds, colored like mulberry yellow, extremely soft when bitten, which is true gold. Craftsmen who secretly swallow it show no signs of toxicity. Fu Jin (Bran Gold) emerges from water sands, panned from mats, or obtained from goose or duck stomachs, immediately hammered into vessels without re-refining. Boiling to extract gold juice can calm the heart. This is merely Chen Cangqi's hearsay and is entirely incorrect. According to inquiries made during the Song Dynasty's recovery of Lingbiao with locals, there was absolutely no mention of snake feces. Medicinal use must employ cooked gold. To prevent later generations from being confused by Chen Cangqi's words, this clarification is provided. Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully note according to *Yao Xing Lun* (Discussion on Drug Properties): Huang Jin Xie (Yellow Gold Flakes) and Jin Bo (Gold Foil) are the same. They treat pediatric convulsions, damage to the five zang organs, wind epilepsy, loss of will, calm the heart, and stabilize the soul and魂魄 (ethereal soul). Yang Sunzhi stated: Only hundred-refined gold is usable; raw gold kills. Ingesting with water or ointments refers to unrefined gold. Ri Huazi stated: Gold is neutral and non-toxic. It fears Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银). It calms the heart, benefits the five zang organs, replenishes essence and marrow, and regulates blood vessels.

*Tu Jing Ben Cao* (Illustrated Materia Medica) states: Jin Xie is produced in Yizhou. Yin Xie (Silver Flakes) is produced in Yongchang. Tao Hongjing's annotation says: Gold production is found everywhere, abundant in Liangzhou, Yizhou, and Ningzhou, emerging from water sands in flake form, called Sheng Jin. Silver sources are similar to gold but emerge from stones. Su Gong believed silver and gold have different origins, with gold emerging from water. Chen Cangqi said: Raw gold is venomous snake feces... [details repeated above regarding mining and characteristics]. Current annotations consider Chen's statement incorrect. However, in current gold-producing areas such as Raozhou, Xinzhou, Nanjianzhou, and Dengzhou, mined gold varies greatly: some resemble mountain rocks, others rice or bean grains. Those not subjected to fire can all be called Sheng Jin. Silver in ore mixes with copper; locals must smelt it repeatedly with lead to form silver, so it cannot be called Sheng Yin (Raw Silver). Thus, a separate entry for Sheng Yin states: Produced in Sheng Yin mines in Raozhou, Leping, etc., resembling hard tin, with coarse, interlacing textures; naturally formed ones are true. What is currently obtained from pits seeps through soil and stone into thread-like strands, hair-thin, locally called Laoweng Xu (Old Man's Beard); such forms are extremely rare. Medical texts requiring Sheng Yin must obtain this specific type to be authentic. Jin Xie is not seen in ancient prescriptions. Yin Xie is used only in Ge Hong's Wu Shi Tang (Five Minerals Decoction) for treating carbuncles and swellings. Modern usage has largely abandoned it, preferring gold and silver foils for medicinal convenience. Additionally, Jin Shi Ling, Hong Xue (Red Snow), Zi Xue (Purple Snow), etc., all utilize juices extracted from gold and silver, which are generally refined products.

*Hai Yao Ben Cao* (Marine Drugs Materia Medica) states: According to *Guangzhou Ji*, Dashi Country produces the most gold, using it as currency. Gold nature is predominantly cold; raw is toxic, cooked is non-toxic. It treats epilepsy, wind-heat rising qi, cough, Shanghan (Cold Damage), lung damage with hemoptysis, bone-steaming fever, extreme exhaustion with thirst, unblocks pathogenic evil in the five zang organs, tonifies the heart, and is taken in pill/powder forms with foil. *Yi Zhi* states: Gold is born in Lishui. *Shan Hai Jing* (Classic of Mountains and Seas) says mountains produce abundant gold, too numerous to record. Caizhou produces Guazi Jin (Melon Seed Gold); Yunnan mountains produce Kuaikuai Jin (Chunk Gold), mined from rock crevices. Qinnan, Suifu, and Jizhou waters produce Fu Jin. *Lingbiao Lu Yi* states: Hanzhou County in Guangzhou has a Gold Pool. Locals raising geese or ducks often find Fu Jin flakes in feces, leading them to raise many birds, collect feces, and pan daily for half to one tael, thereby becoming wealthy. *Huainanzi* states: Yangsui (Bronze Mirror) catches sunlight to create fire. Xu Shen's annotation says: Yangsui is made of metal. Take a rimless gold cup, polish it until hot, hold it at noon facing the sun, place mugwort below to catch the heat, and it will ignite. *Taiqing Fu Lian Lingsha Fa* states: Gold inherits the yin-yi (Yin-Ji)魄 (corporeal soul) from the Central Palace; its nature is rigid, and ingestion damages muscles. *Baozang Lun* states: There are twenty types of gold: Xiong Huangjin, Ci Huangjin, Zengqingjin, Liu Huangjin, Tu Zhongjin, Sheng Tiejin, Shu Tiejin, Sheng Tongjin, Shijin, Shazi Jin, Tulu Shazi Jin, Jinmu Shazi Jin, Baixijin, Heiqianjin, Zhushajin. Of these fifteen, only Huandan Jin, Shuizhong Jin, Guazi Jin, Qingfu Jin, and Caoshajin are true gold; the rest are fake. *Danfang Jingyuan* states: Chu Jin originates from the Five Streams of the Han River, sometimes melon-seed shaped, mixed with other golds, carrying a bluish tint. If naturally formed teeth, also called Huangya (Yellow Teeth). If used to process Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银) or make Cinnabar (Dansha, 丹砂) vessels as tools, they are inedible due to internal gold qi toxicity. Qingxiazi's *Jinye Huandan Lun* states: Gold does not add years. Furthermore, Huangjin (Yellow Gold) breaks cold and dispels wind.

*Yanyi* states: Jin Xie uses the character 'xie' (flakes/shavings) rather than just 'jin' because it implies the material has been ground into shavings ready for use, similar to the meaning of Yujiang (Jade Paste). The two classics do not explain 'xie' as incomplete; rather, it requires cooking/refining, or being beaten into foil, before grinding into powder for medicine. Tao Hongjing said: Whenever using Yin Xie, mix with Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银) to form paste; unless it is flaked/foiled, how can it mix with mercury? He唯独 did not mention Jin Xie, which is an omission. Sheng Jin is toxic enough to kill, which remains difficult to understand. Poisoning can be resolved only with Partridge Meat (Zhegu Rou). If not processed into flakes/foil, it is unusable. Kuaikuai Jin involves mining shafts up to hundreds of chi deep, finding associated mineral stones that are brownish-black on one end like scorched fire, indicating the presence of gold. This gold is deep red-yellow. Fu Jin is obtained by washing river sands, appearing light yellow. These are all Sheng Jin and must be smelted upon acquisition. Fu Jin has less waste; Kuaikuai Jin has more waste. For medicinal use, Kuaikuai Jin should be employed; its deep color indicates sufficient gold qi. One must guard against artificially treated or alchemically transformed gold; otherwise, where is the natural creative energy? For example, Zhang Yongde of the Song Dynasty, courtesy name Baoyi, from Bingzhou, served as Military Governor of Lu in the Five Dynasties period, and was appointed to Bingzhou in Chuanhua Year 2. Initially residing in Suiyang, he cured a neighboring scholar student. The student asked for five liang of Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银), which Zhang placed in a tripod and boiled into Zhong Jin (Middle Gold). Zhang earnestly requested the method; the student said: "You will be noble; I do not withhold this, but fear it may harm your fortune." Gong Bisheng stated: During Xiangfu years, while in the palace refining gold for Alchemist Wang Jie, iron was turned into gold, forming cakes of over one hundred liang, split into eight segments called Yazui Jin (Crow Beak Gold). Freshly made, the color was still black. Thus, such things are made from Mercury(II) Sulfide (Shuiyin, 水银) and iron via drug processing, not natural creation; their therapeutic efficacy would inevitably differ significantly. When Huimin Bureau prepares Zi Xue (Purple Snow) using gold, it borrows the natural gold qi. However, it dislikes Tin (Xi). Also, gold from the southeast is darker in color, while southwest gold is lighter, due to geographical suitability; for medicinal use, darker is preferred. However, obtaining Phyllanthus emblica (Yuganzi, 余甘子) makes the body soft, indicating mutual resonance.