典藏书目

Lu Ying, a Jinshi (degree holder) from Xiuzhou, suddenly fell ill with incessant hematemesis (vomiting blood), rebellious qi (qi rebellion), terror and trembling, mania and restlessness, jumping and running about, with eyes staring fixedly. Until late at night, he attempted to break out through the door, such was the state for two consecutive nights. Various physicians used ancient prescriptions and folk remedies extensively, but none were effective. The whole family lamented and prayed, worshipping Guanyin (Avalokitesvara). In a dream, a prescription was revealed: "Take only one dose, and the root of the disease will be permanently eradicated." The formula consists of Yizhi Ren (Alpinia oxyphylla Fruit) 1 liang, Sheng Zhu (Raw Pearl) 2 qian, Qing Pi (Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' Pericarpium) 0.5 liang, and She Xiang (Musk) 1 qian. These are ground into fine powder and taken with water decocted from Deng Xin Cao (Juncus effusus Rhizome). Lu Ying woke up, found it miraculous, and recorded it. The next day, he prepared the medicine according to the prescription, and the illness was cured immediately. (Same source)

Fu Shi from Jiangling was poor and made a living selling paper. He loved landscapes and clouds; whenever he saw beautiful scenery, he would invite others to join him. In a small pavilion, he sculpted an image of Lü Dongbin (Lü Xianweng) and burned incense morning and evening to worship him reverently, not even allowing his wife and children to enter casually. One day, a guest wearing a square cap and cloth robe entered and conversed with him, saying, "Someone recently invited you to drink and offered a hundred gold pieces." Fu's eyes were dim and tearful. The guest instructed him to use Sheng Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix) and Shu Di Huang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata), sliced and roasted; Hua Jiao (Zanthoxyli Pericarpium), removing the seeds and closed ones, lightly stir-fried. These three ingredients were mixed in equal parts, ground into powder, and formed into pills the size of tung tree seeds using honey. Take 50 pills each time on an empty stomach, washed down with salted rice water. Fu followed the prescription. Within less than a month, his vision cleared, and he could see at night. He lived to be eighty or ninety years old, with sharp hearing and sight, and energy like that of a youth. (Xin Zhi)

The son of Zhao Zhou Shi, aged three, suddenly suffered from wind-stroke convulsions, with his body arched backward like a drawn bow, unable to suckle or eat, and cold limbs. Physicians were helpless. His clan brother Shan Xin arrived, stating that Li Geng, the county magistrate's clerk, possessed a miraculous prescription for this condition. They urgently sought it and prepared the medicine together. As soon as the preparation was complete, they rubbed it on the child's teeth. Soon after, the child made retching and coughing sounds, and his hands moved slightly. From night until dawn, two pill-cakes were administered, after which he recovered completely. Zhao burned incense and vowed to distribute this prescription to others for the rest of her life. It is called "Xie Shao Bing Zi" (Scorpion Tip Cake). Ingredients include one whole Chi Zu Quan Wu Gong (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans), Xie Shao (Scorpion tip), Ru Xiang (Olibanum), Bai Hua She Rou (Bungarus multicinctus flesh), Zhu Sha (Cinnabar), Tian Nan Xing (Arisaema cum Bile), Bai Jiang Can (Bombyx Batryticatus), each 0.5 liang, and She Xiang (Musk) 3 qian, totaling eight ingredients. Zhu Sha, Ru Xiang, and She Xiang are separately ground fine. Bai Hua She is soaked in wine, skin and bones removed, and the clean meat taken. Tian Nan Xing is roasted until cooked. Bai Jiang Can is used raw. The five ingredients—Wu Gong, Xie Shao, etc.—are ground into powder, then mixed evenly with the other three finely ground powders. Wine paste is used to form pills, shaped into cakes with a diameter of 4 fen. Grind one cake in decoction of Ren Shen (Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma), or Bo He (Menthae Haplocalycis Herba), or Jin Yin Hua (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos) for administration. For infants under one year old, use half the dose. The number of children saved by this method is incalculable. (Geng Zhi)

There are many methods for treating eye diseases using Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), but Yang Gan Wan (Sheep Liver Pill) is particularly unique. Use 1 liang of Huang Lian powder and one liver from a white lamb, remove the membrane, and grind them together in a mortar until extremely fine. Form into pills the size of tung tree seeds. Take 30 pills each time with warm water, for five consecutive doses. This treats all kinds of eye diseases, including nebula, obstruction, and blindness. Avoid pork and cold water. Cui Cheng Yuan of the Tang Dynasty executed a death row prisoner but spared his life. Years later, the prisoner died of an eye disease. One day, Cui suffered from internal cataracts and had been blind for over a year. Sitting alone sighing in the middle of the night, he suddenly heard rustling sounds on the steps. Cui asked who it was. The voice slowly replied, "I am the prisoner you once spared, here to repay your kindness." He then revealed this prescription and vanished. Cui prepared and took the medicine according to this method. Within a few months, his eyesight was restored. (Ben Shi Fang)