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Musk (Shexiang)

Pungent in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. Primarily used to expel evil qi, kill ghostly spirits and malevolent entities, treat warm malaria and gu poison, eliminate three types of parasites, cure various ominous evil and ghostly qi, zhong e (sudden illness caused by foul pathogens), sudden severe pain in the heart and abdomen, distension, urgency, and fullness, wind toxicity, difficult childbirth in women, retained fetus, remove facial melasma (pronounced yun), and corneal opacities in the eyes. Long-term consumption removes evil influences, prevents nightmares and sleep paralysis, and facilitates communion with immortals. It grows in the valleys of Zhongtai and in the mountains of Yizhou and Yongzhou. Harvested at the Spring Equinox; fresh ones are superior.

Tao Hongjing stated: The musk deer resembles a roe deer, often eats cypress leaves, and also swallows snakes. In May, when the musk is obtained, snake skins and bones are often found within it; thus, musk treats snake venom. Currently, people wrap musk in shed snake skin to enhance its fragrance, which indicates a synergistic effect. Its fragrance lies within the skin anterior to the penis, wrapped in a separate membrane. Those produced among the barbarians of Suichun, Yiyang, and Jinxii are inferior. Those from Yizhou are flat-shaped and still wrapped in skin and membrane. One genuine musk pellet may be adulterated to make three or four fake pellets; blood membranes are scraped and mixed with other substances. Generally, there are fine and coarse grades. Breaking open one piece, those with hair contained within the wrapping are superior, which locals use as a mark. If obtained among the Qiang and Yi peoples, it is mostly genuine and good quality; burning the "dangmenzi" (central glandular part) for a long time until bubbling indicates good quality. Now, only live-extracted musk is available; observing it oneself ensures authenticity. Raw musk is said by some to be congealed semen and urine, but this is incorrect. In summer, musk deer eat many snakes and insects; by winter, the scent is full. In spring, they suffer urgent pain and excrete it themselves using their hooves, placing it in feces or urine, always in specific locations. Humans occasionally obtain it, sometimes up to one dou and five sheng. Using this type is superior to that from killed animals. Carrying musk not only provides fragrance but also wards off evil. Placing one genuine pellet around the neck or using it as a pillow wards off nightmares and corpse-transmission ghost qi. Minister Yuxi et al., according to *Baopuzi*, state: To ward off snakes: carry musk pills in foot claws when entering mountains; this is effective. Also, musk and wild boars both eat snakes, so they suppress them. *Yaoxing Lun* states: Musk, when consumed by ministers, requires avoiding garlic; bitter and pungent in flavor. Removes hundred evils, demons, and ghosts; treats zhu heart pain, pediatric convulsions and external shock; calms the heart and spirit. Use one dangmenzi pellet, similar in size to cinnabar, finely ground, and administered with cooked water. Stops frequent urination; can erode pus from all carbuncles and sores. Added to Ten Fragrances Pill, makes all hairs and nine orifices fragrant; treats ghost zhu abdominal pain. Duan Chengshi's *Youyang Zazu* states: From the water musk's umbilical cavity, dripping one drop into a bucket of water and sprinkling on clothes keeps the fragrance even if the clothes rot. Each time taken, prick with a needle, rub with real realgar, and the combined fragrance doubles that of meat musk. In the early Tianbao era, hunters captured one, and an edict ordered its breeding. Rihua Zi states: Expels evil qi, kills ghost poison, gu qi, malaria, induces labor and abortion, kills internal parasites, stops snake and scorpion bites, sand lice, stream miasma toxicity, vomits wind-phlegm, enters the uterus, warms the water organ, stops cold leukorrhea.

*Tujing* states: Musk comes from valleys of Zhongtai and mountains of Yizhou and Yongzhou. Now it is found in the mountains of Shaanxi, Yi, Li, and Hedong circuits, especially abundant among the barbarians of Qinzhou and Wenzhou. Resembles a roe deer but smaller; fragrance is in the skin anterior to the genitals, wrapped in a membrane. Harvested at Spring Equinox; fresh is better. This item is extremely hard to find genuine. Barbarians harvest it, taking one genuine pellet, scraping the membrane, mixing with other items, wrapping in knee skin of four legs, making five fake pellets. Locals buying it further adulterate one into two or three, revealing the forgery. Only live-extracted is truly authentic. In Qi and Guang mountains, it sometimes appears, but the fragrance is very small, one pellet only the size of a bullet, often genuine because locals are not skilled at forgery. One theory says there are three types: First, raw musk; musk deer eat many snakes/insects in summer, scent fills up by winter, urgent pain in spring, self-excreted with claws, causing nearby vegetation to turn yellow/brown where it falls; this is extremely rare. Now, wearing genuine musk through gardens causes fruits/vegetables not to set fruit, verifying this. Second, umbilical musk, from caught/killed animals. Third, heart-knot musk; musk chased by large beasts, panicked, runs wildly, falls off cliffs/dies; humans find it, cut open heart, blood flows out, forms clumps; this dry musk is unusable. Another type is water musk, even more wonderful; umbilical cavity full of water; one drop in a bucket of water washes clothes, fragrance remains even if clothes rot. Early Tianbao, hunters caught a water musk, edicted to breed in parks; pricking umbilicus with needle, rubbing realgar heals wound, fragrance doubles meat musk; not heard of in recent years. *Erya* states: Musk is called She Fu.

Lei Gong states: Most are fake, better not to use. Three grades: 1. Yi Xiang (Lost Scent): Umbilicus closed and full; deer rubs umbilicus on stone with hoof tip; vegetation dies/browns within one li; price equals pearls. 2. Yue Po Xiang: Very usable. 3. Xin Jie Xiang: Heart broken by beast panic, runs madly, jumps into water; found by humans, heart split, flows onto spleen, forms large dry blood clot; fragrance travels across mountain streams, second rate. When using musk, open on Zi days; do not grind too finely or sift. Food therapy: take as powder, expels heat/toxins, kills snake venom, removes fright/confusion. Barbarians eat it, tastes like roe deer meat but fishy. They say eating it prevents fear of snake venom. Umbilical musk cures hundred diseases, treats all evil zhu illnesses. Grind and take with water. Empirical Formulas: Treat malaria. Another formula: Treat rat bites. Seal with musk, bind with cloth. Guangli Formula: Treat zhong e ke wu near death. Musk 1 qian, finely ground, mix with 2 he vinegar, take orally, recovers. Another formula: Treat pediatric ke wu, stiff neck near death. Small amount of musk, fine hair... [text fragment] ... Use good genuine musk, finely ground. Take one zi-sized dose mixed with clear water, three times daily. Adjust dosage by child's size. Xu Shiquan Formula: Facilitate childbirth. Musk 1 qian, ground, mix with milk juice, divide into 4-5 doses. Yang Wen Gong's *Tan Yan*: Shangru mountains have many musk herds; dung accumulates in one place. Even when grazing far, they return to defecate there, fearing humans will track them. Hunters use this to locate herds. Musk loves its umbilicus greatly; when chased, it throws itself off cliffs, scratches out its musk, tied up and dies, still curling four legs to protect the umbilicus. Li Shangyin's poem: "Throwing off cliff, musk sheds scent." Xu Hun: "Seeking musk, gathering raw scent." Hu Gangzi's *Fen Tu*: Place one musk umbilicus in pillow joint, use as pillow, also expels evil.

*Yanyi* states: Musk gathers dung in one spot. Humans see the dung and musk scent, capture it; this is a flaw of the animal, say hunters. Rest as per Classics.