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Taste is sweet, nature is neutral, non-toxic. It primarily treats upper qi (rebellious Qi rising), deficiency of Qi, cough, and counterflow of Qi. Mix with wine and take three he (a traditional unit of volume) at a time, twice daily. It also treats equine lung disease and wormy throat conditions.

Meat: Primarily treats chronic edema and distension that has not healed for a long time, or cases near death. Make into a soup and eat; it has a great effect in promoting urination to reduce swelling.

Bladder: Dry it. Boil in water until the amount resembles the size of a chicken egg, take on an empty stomach. It can induce vomiting to expel various gu poisons.

Current research based on Chen Cangqi's *Bencao Shiyi* states: KT (sound 'tuan') fat primarily treats chuan shen gui qi zhu wu (a contagious chronic wasting disease caused by "ghost qi"). Dissolve in wine and take. It can also kill horse leech back sores. It is beneficial for those who have taken mineral pills (dan shi). Another name is huan tun, which is extremely fat. (This entry was originally attached to *Xinxiu Bencao*). Ministers Yu Xi et al. respectfully note according to Meng Shen: KT primarily treats heat from exhaustion caused by taking mineral pills, and chronic dysentery (red and white) that does not heal. One can boil its meat, leave it exposed overnight, and eat it the next morning on an empty stomach with sauce; one meal will cure it. Additionally, thin people can cook it with five flavors to gain flesh and become plump. Those who have taken mineral pills can consume it frequently, as mineral pills tend to cause heat, and consuming this meat is excellent.

For dietary therapy: KT meat is neutral in nature and sour in taste. Bones treat upper qi and cough; roast them, grind into powder, mix with wine, take three he, twice daily, and the cough will surely heal. *Shenghui Fang*: Treats [conditions] using half jin of KT meat, cut up, mixed with three he of japonica rice, three sheng of water, scallions, pepper, ginger, and fermented soybeans to make porridge. *Shiyi Xinjing* treats fei wei (lung atrophy) and upper qi with急促 breathing. Boil down to make KT pig fat, take one he mixed with warm wine.

*Yanyi* states: KT is fat and short, with slightly gray fur, a black stripe of hair running from head to spine, sharp black snout, and short broad tail. Steamed, it is extremely delicious. He (a type of canine) resembles a small fox, with yellow-brown fur. Among wild beasts, KT meat is the most delicious and still benefits thin people.

\rMole (sound 'yan') Mouse\pd404.bmp\r
Taste is salty, non-toxic. It primarily treats carbuncles and ulcers, various corrosive malignant sores, and rotting sores of the yin region. It lives underground. Collect in the fifth month, dry it, and roast it.

Tao Hongjing says: In common parlance, it is also called Yin Shu (Hidden Mouse) or Fen Shu (Fen Mouse). It resembles a large mouse but has no tail, is black, has a very strong long nose, and often moves through cultivated fields; it can be found by digging. Currently, in various mountain forests, there are beasts as large as water buffalo, resembling pigs, grayish-red in color, with legs like elephants, white on the chest and tail, powerful but dull, also named Yan Shu. People eat it regularly; the meat resembles beef and is often made into jerky. Its fat is said to treat certain diseases; it is also claimed to be the King of Mice, whose semen or urine drop creates a new mouse upon hitting the ground, appearing more frequently during years of grain mouse disasters. This may not be false. Current research based on Chen Cangqi's *Bencao* states: Mole meat treats wind pathogens; long-term consumption treats sores, scabies, and hemorrhoids. The fat can be used to massage various malignant sores. The *Shennong Benjing* refers to the smaller mouse that walks underground. Tao also describes it as mouse-shaped, with a black tail, moving through fields, found by digging. As stated in the *Jing*, this refers to the current small-mouthed, pointed-snouted Fen Mouse. The Yan Shu is a beast, not belonging to the mouse category. It is as large as a cow, with short front legs, and its skin is used for reins. *Zhuangzi* mentions: "Those who drink from the river fill their bellies." Additionally, Yin Shu exists in shady places and treats major sores. Tao again claims it is the King of Mice, where one drop of urine/semen becomes a mouse, multiplying in disaster years, found everywhere, and capable of moving underground. However, extensive inquiry among mountain dwellers reveals no such phenomenon of urine/semen creating mice, nor movement underground. This is human fabrication recorded by Tao. Since the small Fen Mouse is also considered a Yan Shu, there are two types of Yan Shu with different names for different entities. Ministers Yu Xi et al. respectfully note according to the Shu edition: Moving underground. Collected in the 5th and 6th months and roasted; this must be the Fen Mouse, not the Yan Shu. Also, its skin is used for belts. Given its large size, how could it move underground and be roasted? It is likely another name for Yin Shu. Yin and Yan are similar in sound and prone to error. Chen Shiliang says: Yan Shu is cold.

*Tujing* states: Yan Shu, previously unspecified regarding origin, described as moving underground; now commonly found in fields everywhere. Another name is Fen Shu, resembling field pests. Meat is cold in nature. It treats accumulated wind-heat, stagnation of blood vessels forming carbuncles and ulcers; eating it can resolve these. For children, it kills roundworms. Among beasts, there is also one named Yan Shu, resembling a cow with a mouse head, black feet, weighing up to a thousand jin. It hides in water and can dam water to create foam. Found in Cangzhou and Hu regions. Locals eat its meat. Skin is used for reins. These are two different animals sharing a name. Additionally, the Insect and Fish section records Male Mouse as slightly warm, treating fractures. Recent medical formulas use its meat to treat bone-steaming consumptive fever, extreme emaciation of limbs, and killing parasites. It also treats pediatric malnutrition and emaciation; remove bones, decoct with wine for medicine. Fat treats scalds and burns; collect live mice on the last day of the twelfth lunar month, fry in oil to make ointment, which is excellent for scalds, burns, and scar removal. Feces treat relapse of typhoid after labor. Zhang Zhongjing's *Shanghan Lun* and famous ancient and modern formulas use it frequently. Tao Hongjing says: Its feces are pointed at both ends.

*Yanyi* states: Yan Shu is the Fen Mouse. Its fur color is like a mouse, abundant in fields around the capital. Legs are extremely short, only able to walk, tail about one cun long, eyes very small, neck particularly short. Easy to dig up, or shoot with bamboo bows, used to feed eagles. Tao should not have cited: the beasts in mountains as large as water buffalo, pig-like, gray-red. If it were a mouse, who would see its semen/urine creating mice? Tao's credulity is surprising, yet sincere scholars do not dismiss baseless talk as false without verification. The *Jing* states: "Moves underground." Thus, it is undoubtedly the Fen Mouse.