\r石钟乳\ph9.bmp\r，生少室山谷及泰山，今道州江华县及连、英、韶、阶、峡州山
中皆有之。生岩穴阴
中无雁齿，光明者善。色白微红，采无时。旧说乳有三种∶有石钟乳者，其山纯石，以石津
相滋，状如蝉翼为石乳，石乳性温；有竹乳者，其山多生篁竹，以竹津相滋，乳如竹状，谓
之竹乳，竹乳性平；有茅山之乳者，其山土石相杂，遍生茅草，以茅津相滋，乳色稍黑而滑
润，谓之茅山之乳，茅山之乳，性微寒。凡此三种，尤难识别。而唐·李补阙炼钟乳法云∶
取韶州钟乳，无问浓薄，但令颜色明净光泽者，即堪入炼，惟黄、赤二色不任用。柳宗元与
崔连州论钟乳书亦云∶取其色之美而已，不必惟土之信。是此药所重，惟明白者，不必尽如
上所说数种也。今医家但从鹅管中空者为最。又《本经》中品载殷孽云∶钟乳根也，生赵国
山谷，又生梁山及南海。又云∶孔公孽，殷孽根也，生梁山山谷。又云∶石花、石床并与殷
孽同。陶隐居云∶凡钟乳之类，有三种同一体。从石室上汁溜积久盘结者，为钟乳床，即此
孔公孽也；其以次小 者，为殷孽，今人呼为孔公孽。殷孽复溜轻好者为钟乳，虽同一类，
而疗体为异。苏恭云∶二孽在上，床花在下，陶谓孔公孽为乳床，非也。又有石脑云∶亦钟
乳之类也。凡此五种，今医家稀复用之，但用钟乳耳。又观二孽所出州郡不同，陶云三种同
根，而所出各处，当是随其土地为胜。既云是钟乳同生，则有孽处，皆当有乳，今并不闻有
之，岂用之既寡，则采者亦稀乎？抑时人不知孽中有乳，故不尽采乎？不能尽究也。下品又
有土阴孽，《经》云∶生高山崖上之阴，色白如脂。陶隐居以为钟乳、孔公孽之类。苏恭云∶
即土乳也，出渭州，生平地土窟中。土人云∶服之亦同钟乳，而不发热。又云∶是土之脂液，
状如殷孽，故名之，今亦不见用者。
石钟乳，生长在少室山谷以及泰山，如今道州江华县以及连州、英州、韶州、阶州、峡州的山中都有出产。生长在岩洞阴暗处且没有雁齿状纹理、色泽光亮的品质较好。颜色白而微红，采集没有固定时间。旧时说钟乳有三种：有石钟乳，其山全是石头，以石头的汁液相互滋养，形状像蝉翼的是石乳，石乳性温；有竹乳，其山多生长竹子，以竹子的汁液相互滋养，乳汁形状像竹子，称为竹乳，竹乳性平；有茅山之乳，其山土石混杂，遍生茅草，以茅草的汁液相互滋养，乳汁颜色稍黑且滑润，称为茅山之乳，茅山之乳性微寒。这三种尤其难以识别。唐代李补阙炼制钟乳的方法说：选取韶州的钟乳，不论浓薄，只要颜色明净光泽的，就可以用来炼制，只有黄色和赤色两种不能使用。柳宗元在《与崔连州论钟乳书》中也说：选取它颜色美好的就可以了，不必完全相信土质的说法。由此可见此药所看重的，只是明白洁净的，不必完全像上面所说的几种那样。现在的医家只认为中间空如鹅管的最为上乘。另外《神农本草经》中品记载殷孽说：是钟乳的根部，生长在赵国山谷，又生长在梁山及南海。又说：孔公孽，是殷孽的根，生长在梁山山谷。又说：石花、石床都与殷孽同类。陶隐居说：凡是钟乳之类，有三种同属一体。从石室上方滴落的汁液积聚日久盘结而成的，叫作钟乳床，就是这里的孔公孽；其次较小的，叫作殷孽，现在人称为孔公孽。殷孽再次流淌轻盈好的成为钟乳，虽然同一类，但治疗功效不同。苏恭说：二孽在上部，床花在下部，陶隐居称孔公孽为乳床，这是错误的。又有石脑说：也是钟乳之类。这五种，现在的医家很少再使用，只用钟乳罢了。又观察二孽出产的州郡不同，陶隐居说三种同根，但出产各处，应当是随着土地特性而优劣不同。既然说是钟乳同生，那么有孽的地方，都应该有乳，现在并没有听说有这种情况，难道是因为使用的人少，所以采的人也稀少吗？还是时人不知道孽中有乳，所以没有全部开采呢？不能彻底探究清楚。下品又有土阴孽，《经》说：生长在高山崖壁的背阴处，颜色白得像油脂。陶隐居认为是钟乳、孔公孽之类。苏恭说：就是土乳，出产于渭州，生长在平地土窟中。当地人说：服用它也同钟乳一样，但不会发热。又说：这是土的脂液，形状像殷孽，所以叫这个名字，现在也不见使用了。
Shizhongru (Stalactite), growing in the valleys of Mount Shaoshi and Mount Tai, is now also found in the mountains of Jianghua County in Daozhou, as well as in Lianzhou, Yingzhou, Shaozhou, Jiezhou, and Xiazhou. Those growing in the shade of rock caves without "goose-tooth" textures and possessing a bright luster are of superior quality. The color is white with a slight red tint, and it can be harvested at any time. Old texts state there are three types of milk-like minerals: Stone Milk (Shiru) grows on pure stone mountains, nourished by mineral seepage from the rocks; shaped like cicada wings, its nature is warm; Bamboo Milk (Zhuru) grows on mountains abundant in bamboo, nourished by bamboo sap; shaped like bamboo shoots, its nature is neutral; and Maoshan Milk grows on mountains where earth and stone mix with abundant thatch grass, nourished by grass sap; slightly black and smooth in texture, its nature is slightly cold. These three types are particularly difficult to distinguish. Li Buchuo of the Tang Dynasty described a method for refining Stalactite: select Stalactite from Shaozhou, regardless of thickness, provided the color is clear and lustrous, which is suitable for refining; only yellow and reddish varieties are unusable. In his "Letter to Cui, Prefect of Lianzhou on Stalactite," Liu Zongyuan also stated that one should select based on aesthetic color alone, not necessarily relying solely on soil origin. Thus, the key criterion for this medicine is clarity and purity, rather than strictly adhering to the aforementioned categories. Current physicians consider those hollow like goose tubes to be the best. Additionally, the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Middle Category, records Yinnie (Yin Nodule): it is the root of Stalactite, growing in the valleys of Zhao State, as well as in Liangshan and Nanhai. It further states: Konggongnie (Konggong Nodule) is the root of Yinnie, growing in the valleys of Liangshan. It also notes: Shihua (Stone Flower) and Shichuang (Stone Bed) are of the same category as Yinnie. Tao Hongjing stated: All Stalactite-related substances belong to one body. The substance formed by long-term accumulation and coagulation of drippings from the ceiling of stone chambers is called Zhongru Chuang (Stalactite Bed), which is the Konggongnie mentioned here; the smaller ones below it are called Yinnie, currently referred to as Konggongnie by people. When Yinnie flows again and becomes light and fine, it transforms into Stalactite. Although they are of the same class, their therapeutic properties differ. Su Gong stated: The two nodules are located above, while beds and flowers are below; Tao Hongjing’s claim that Konggongnie is the milk bed is incorrect. There is also Shinao (Stone Brain), which is also a type of Stalactite. Of these five types, current physicians rarely use them, employing only Stalactite. Observing that the two nodules originate from different prefectures, and considering Tao Hongjing’s assertion that the three share the same root but appear in various places, it seems their quality varies according to local conditions. Since they are said to grow together with Stalactite, wherever nodules exist, Stalactite should also be present; yet such occurrences are rarely heard of today. Is it because low usage leads to scarce harvesting? Or do contemporary practitioners fail to recognize Stalactite within the nodules, thus failing to harvest them fully? This cannot be thoroughly investigated. The Lower Category also includes Tuyinnie (Earth Yin Nodule). The Classic states: it grows in the shaded areas of high mountain cliffs, white in color like fat. Tao Hongjing considered it a type of Stalactite or Konggongnie. Su Gong stated: It is Earth Milk (Turu), produced in Weizhou, growing in earthen caves on flat land. Locals say: taking it has similar effects to Stalactite but does not cause fever. They also add: it is the lipid fluid of the earth, resembling Yinnie in shape, hence the name. It is no longer used today.