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The flavor is sweet, the nature is greatly warm, and it is non-toxic. It primarily tonifies the middle jiao (Middle Burner), nourishes blood, and treats dark purple lips (Shen Chun). On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, taking the skull of the eel head, burning it to ash, can stop dysentery.

Tao Hongjing stated: The eel is transformed from the root of *Nymphoides peltata* (Xing Qin). He also said: It is transformed from human hair; however, now we see that they naturally have offspring in their bellies, so not all are necessarily products of transformation. Its nature is hot, and eating it as food also has a tonifying effect. However, when epidemic diseases arise, consuming too much will cause the disease to recur, and it tends to induce cholera-like syndrome (Huoluan). There are many such aquatic species like fish and shrimp; those with notable names have already been annotated in previous entries. Although all may be edible, they severely damage the human body, thus they are not included in medicinal use. There are also cases where consumption leads to illness; these are annotated item by item below: Any fish with white spots like connected beads extending to the spine, without a gallbladder in the belly, or without gills in the head, will kill people. Fish juice should not be eaten together with cormorant meat. Crucian carp (*Carassius auratus*) should not be eaten with monkey or pheasant meat. Loach (*Misgurnus anguillicaudatus*) and eel should not be eaten with white dog blood. Carp roe should not be eaten with pig liver. Crucian carp is the same. Black carp (*Mylopharyngodon piceus*) should not be eaten with fresh coriander, fresh mallow, or wheat sauce. Shrimp without whiskers, those with black undersides, and those that turn white after boiling are all inedible. Raw minced shrimp should not be eaten with chicken meat, as it also damages the body. There is another type of fish (pronounced 'Fu', 'Bi') which benefits people, but its tail is toxic and can treat toothache. There are also two types of fish (pronounced 'Wulang', 'Yiba') which are very effective at resolving alcohol intoxication. A certain fish (pronounced 'Hou') is toxic and should not be eaten. The Tang Ben Zhu notes: *Bie Lu* states that dried eel heads treat diabetes mellitus (Xiao Ke), indigestion, expel cold qi, and remove stagnation and rashes. The rope used for stringing fish treats bamboo or wood splinters stuck in the eyes; the rope used for stringing salted fish also treats foreign bodies in the eye and removing spines; boiling the juice for washing is highly effective. Currently, according to Chen Cangqi's *Ben Cao*: Eels treat damp-bi syndrome (Shi Bi), tonify deficiency and damage. Eels born to women are slender, resembling snakes but without scales, coming in green and yellow colors, living in mud holes along water banks, found everywhere. Meng Shen said: Eels tonify the five zang organs and drive out the twelve wind pathogens. People suffering from malignant qi should frequently prepare them as food, eat until full on an empty stomach, then cover themselves with clothes and lie down for a short while. They should sweat like white gum, with sweat emerging from the waist and feet. After sweating ceases, bathe in Wu Mu Decoction, strictly avoid wind for one day, and take this every three to five days. It also treats wind-dampness.

Chen Cangqi said: Eel blood treats tinea and certain skin conditions; extract the blood and apply it. In summer, they make holes in shallow water, similar to snakes hibernating in winter and emerging in summer; they are suitable for consumption.

Zheng Su points out: The pronunciation of eel is "Shan" character, or written as "Shan". All books use " " for "Shan". *Ben Jing* uses " " for eel, still adding the fish radical, which is particularly erroneous. *Feng Tu Ji* says: Eels appear in summer and hibernate in winter, aligning with climate and seasonal harmony. *Yan Shi Jia Xun* says: *Book of Later Han* records storks carrying three eels, pronounced "Shan", often borrowed as " ". *Wei Wu Si Shi Shi Zhi* records: Eel, i.e., " " fish, large as five dou, body length one zhang, is indeed the " " fish. If grown so large, a stork could not carry even one, let alone three! Thus, it is clearly an eel. Now it is appropriate to write "Shan"; writing " " requires re-cooking, and cannot be boiled with mulberry wood fire, as it is also a snake-like creature. *Sheng Hui Fang*: Treats breast lump hardness and pain in women. Use eel skin burnt to ash, taken on an empty stomach mixed with warm wine, two qian bi.

*Yan Yi* says: Eels have yellow bellies, commonly known as yellow eels. These especially stir up wind pathogen; excessive consumption causes cholera-like syndrome, seen repeatedly. Previously in the capital, a neighbor official suffered cholera with vomiting and diarrhea after eating yellow eels, nearly becoming prostrate. There is also white eel, slightly larger, white in color; both lack scales. Large ones are over a chi long, shape resembling snakes, but unable to walk on land, yet both stir up wind. West of Jiangling Prefecture lies a lake called West Lake. Every year in summer and autumn, when the Ju River rises, the lake overflows; in winter, it dries up again. Locals dig in dry soil, reaching two or three chi deep, finding paths where eels come and go, containing mud and water; when water recedes, they go deeper, and when water returns, they emerge.