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Bie Jia (Testudinis Carapax et Plastrum)
Salty, neutral, non-toxic. Mainly treats Zheng Jia (abdominal masses) and Jian Ji (hard accumulations) in the heart and abdomen, alternating cold and fever, removes Pi (obstructions), polyps, Yin Shi (genital ulcers), hemorrhoids, E Rou (malignant flesh), treats Wen Nue (warm malaria), Xue Jia (blood masses), lower back pain, and hard lumps under the hypochondrium in children.
Rou (Meat) Sweet, mainly treats Shang Zhong (internal injury), benefits Qi, supplements deficiencies. Grows in the ponds and marshes of Danyang. Can be collected at any time. (Avoid using with Fan Shi [Alum]).
Tao Hongjing said: Collect the shell from live turtles, remove the meat thoroughly for best quality; do not use shells that have fallen off after boiling. Now, those with connected scales and dry, rocky textures are good. If there is a shell on top and bones protrude on both sides, it has been boiled and should be roasted before use. In summer, when cutting turtle, wrap it in Chi Xian (Amaranthus tricolor) and place it in a damp area, and it will transform into a living turtle. People who wrap Bie Jia powder for five months say it can all turn into baby turtles. The meat is also insufficient for eating; consuming too much causes Zheng Jia. Those with sunken eyes, or eaten with chicken eggs, can kill people. Do not eat with Xian Cai (Amaranth); if there is a "Wang" character pattern under the skirt, it should not be eaten. Tang Ben Zhu said: Bie Tou (Turtle head) burned to ash treats various diseases in children, and also treats Chan Hou Yin Xia (postpartum uterine prolapse), Shi Zhu (chronic wasting disease), and Xin Fu Tong (heart and abdominal pain). Now referring to Chen Cangqi's Ben Cao: Turtle treats Re Qi Shi Bi (heat-damp bi syndrome) and Ji Re in the abdomen. Break finely, boil with five flavors and eat, causing slight diarrhea. The paste causes hair loss; applying it to holes prevents regrowth. To regrow hair, apply white dog milk to the plucked area; when a tortoise shape appears, eating it causes water swelling disease. Ministers Yu Xi et al. according to Shu Ben: Use green ones weighing over seven liang, place in five sheng of vinegar, slowly heat until dry, then remove the skirt and grind. Yao Xing Lun says: Bie Jia, as an assistant drug, avoids Li Shi. It can treat Lao Shou (wasting-thirst), descend Qi, remove Gu Re (bone heat), La Re between bone joints, and Jie Shi Yong Sai (solid accumulation blockage). Treats women with Lou Xia Wu Se Lei Shou (leukorrhea of five colors and emaciation) by burning the shell until yellow, grinding to powder, and taking with clear wine, one Fang Cun Bi twice daily. Another prescription: He Li Le Pi (Pericarpium Arecae Catalpae) and Gan Jiang (Dried Ginger) powder in equal parts, made into pills, take thirty pills on an empty stomach, repeat dose, treats Zheng Pi disease. Also, for Pi Qi, roast with vinegar until yellow, grind to powder, mix with one he of cow milk and one spoonful of powder, add Hu Po (Amber) and Da Huang (Rhubarb) to make a powder, take two Qian Bi with wine, soon evil blood will pass. If a woman's small intestine blood drains completely, it causes Tuogang (rectal prolapse). Meng Shen said: Turtle treats women's Lou Xia and Lei Shou. Eating in mid-spring is delicious, summer has slight fishy smell. Its shell
Hua Zi said: Turtle benefits Qi and regulates middle, treats Dai Xia (leukorrhea) in women, treats Xue Jia and lower back pain.
Bie Jia, removes Blood Qi, breaks Zheng Jie and E Xue (evil blood), induces abortion, reduces sores and swellings, treats Pu Sun Yu Xue (traumatic blood stasis), Nue Ji (malaria), Chang Yong (intestinal abscess). Head burned to ash treats Tuogang.
Tu Jing said: Turtle grows in Danyang ponds and marshes, now found everywhere. Those from Yuezhou and Yuanjiang with nine ribs are superior. Collect anytime, still prefer live collection with meat removed, do not use boiled-off shells. Look for connected scales and dry rocky texture for authenticity; if bones protrude on sides, it was boiled. Since ancient times, treating women with Lou Xia Wu Se Lei Shou, burn shell until yellow, sieve to powder, take one Fang Cun Bi with wine, twice daily. Also, combine He Li Le Pi and Gan Jiang, three ingredients in equal parts, make pills, thirty pills on empty stomach, best for treating Pi. Also, roast with vinegar until yellow, grind to powder, take with cow milk, treats Pi Qi. Good meat also benefits people, tonifies deficiency, removes blood heat. But cannot eat long-term, damages body, because it has cartilage called Chou (impure part), should be removed when eating.
Do not eat with Xian Cai, causes Bie Jia, difficult to treat later. Also, those whose head and feet cannot retract and single-eyed ones have great toxicity, cannot be eaten, kills people. Head burned to ash treats Tuogang. Southerners raise turtles in fish ponds, saying it makes fish not rise with fog. Among turtle species, three-legged ones are called Neng (nu lai qie), very cold and toxic, treats fractures, stops pain, transforms blood. Crush fresh meat and blood to apply. Daoists say: Can repel various Yan Hui Si Qi (repulsive dead qi), portraits can also stop it. Ones without skirt and head/feet not retracting are named Tuo, eating causes dizziness, if poisoned accidentally, decoct Huang Qin (Scutellaria) and Wu Lan (Isatis) to drink, resolves immediately. Shell also treats Chuan Shi Lao (consumption) and women's Jing Bi (amenorrhea). The largest is Yuan (softshell turtle), in rivers sometimes one or two zhang wide, southerners also catch and eat. Meat has five colors, mostly white, eggs as big as chicken or duck eggs, lay one or two hundred at a time, people dig them out, pickle with salt to eat. Shell also treats Zang Fu Xie Qi (visceral pathogenic qi), women's blood heat. Below has Tuo Jia entry: Grows in South Sea ponds, now very common in rivers and lakes, is Tuo, shape similar to Shou Gong (gecko) and Ling Li, but one or two zhang long, back and tail have scales, good at attacking banks, cries at night, boatmen fear it. Southerners eat its meat, color white like chicken, but causes cold Qi chronic disease. Skin can also cover drums. Skin and bone burned to ash, ground to powder, taken with rice water. Treats Chang Feng Zhi Ji (hemorrhoids due to wind), severe cases add Hong Ji Guan Hua (Cockscomb flower) powder and Bai Fan Hui (alum ash), mix. Take on empty stomach, recovers. Current medical formulas rarely use Yuan or Tuo Jia.
Lei Gong said: For use, green, nine ribs, many skirts, weighing seven liang are superior. Treats Qi, breaks masses, eliminates Zheng, calms heart, used in medicines. Each Bie Jia, fix bottle bottom with Liu Yi Ni, dry, place in large fire, add Tou Cu (first press vinegar), boil until three sheng vinegar exhausted, then remove skirt and ribs, then roast dry, then use in medicine. Also, for treating Lao Re (deficiency heat) drugs, according to previous mud method, boil with Tong Zi Xiao Nian (boy's urine) day and night, exhaust one dou two sheng urine, then remove skirt keep bone, hammer on stone, grind in stone mortar to powder, wrap in Ji KT skin, soak in Dong Liu Shui (east-flowing water) in basin overnight, use next day, power ten thousand times greater. Sheng Hui Fang: Treats long-term Lao Nue Zhang etc.
Formula: Use three liang Bie Jia, coat with Su (butter) and roast until yellow, remove skirt, grind to powder. At onset, take two Qian Bi mixed with warm wine. Another formula: Treats children's Shi Zhu Lao Shou, or one piece, burn to ash, grind, take half Qian Bi with fresh well water. Qian Jin Fang: Pregnancy avoid eating turtle meat, causes short neck in child. Cured. One dead turtle head, burn until smoke ceases, grind to powder. Apply to anus, press with hand. Qian Jin Yi: Treats men's Yin... Mix with Ji Zi Bai (egg white) to apply, good. Zhou Hou Fang: Treats severe illness newly started, take early Fang Cun Bi. When time comes, roast with fire, nothing not cured. Another formula: Sudden lower back pain unable to bend or straighten. One Bie Jia, grind to powder, take Fang Cun Bi. Another formula: Treats human heart hole obstruction, Bi. Two or three times daily, Cun Bi, immediately expels Bie Jia and head burned like small bean grasp, water two sheng, decoct to obtain five he. Take one Qian Bi before meal, one Qian Bi with honey water after meal. Yao He Zhong: Children with rectal prolapse due to dysentery. Bie Tou and Jia burned to ash powder, take powder to dust. Zuo Zhuan said: Three-legged is called Neng, cannot eat.
Yan Yi said: Bie Jia, nine ribs are good, cooked ones inferior to raw collected ones, still roast with strong vinegar until yellow. Classics do not mention treating Lao, only Shu Ben Yao Xing Lun says: Treats Lao Shou, removes bone heat, later generations used it. However, has basis, also cannot overdose. Head blood applied to Tuogang, also