气味咸甘寒，无毒。主治小儿惊痫，妇人生子不下。烧灰水服，治久痢。（《别
录》附。）
（李时珍曰∶凡用蜕壳，沸汤洗去泥土、翅足，浆水洗过晒干用。）
古人用身，后人用蜕。蜕者，褪脱之义。故眼膜翳障，痘 不起，皮肤隐疹，一切风热
之证
，取而用之。学人知蝉性之本原，则知蝉蜕之治疗矣。
气味咸辛平，无毒。主治小儿惊痫夜啼，去三虫，灭黑 ，令人面色好，男子阴痒
病。
（蚕处处可育，而江浙尤多，蚕病风死，其色不变，故名白僵，僵者死而不朽之谓。
《乘雅》云∶今市肆多用中温死蚕，以锻石淹拌，令白服之，为害最深。若痘疹，必燥
裂黑
不可不慎也。）
僵蚕色白体坚，气味咸辛，禀金水之精也。东方肝木，其病发惊骇，金能平木，故主治
小
天运环转，则昼开夜合，故止小儿夜啼。金主肃杀，故去三虫。水气
主灭黑 而令人面色好。金
能制风，咸能杀痒，故治男子阴痒之病
蝉蜕、僵蚕，皆禀金水之精，故《本经》主治大体相同。但蝉饮而不食，溺而不粪。蚕
食而
不饮，粪而不溺，何以相同。《经》云∶饮入于胃，上归于肺。谷入于胃，乃传之肺。是饮
是食虽殊，皆由肺气之通调；则溺粪虽异，皆禀肺气以传化矣。又，凡色白而禀金气之品，
皆不宜火炒。僵蚕具坚金之体，故能祛风攻毒。若以火炒，则金体消败，何能奏功。后人不
体物理，不察物性，而妄加炮制者，不独一僵蚕已也。如桑皮炒黄，麻黄炒黑，杏仁、蒺藜
皆用火炒。诸如此类，不能尽述，皆由不知药性之原，狃于习俗之所致耳。
【蝉蜕】
气味咸、甘、寒，无毒。主治小儿惊痫（小儿因受惊或热盛引起的抽搐痉挛），妇女难产（分娩时胎儿不能顺利产出）。烧成灰后用水冲服，可治疗久痢（长期不愈的痢疾）。（出自《名医别录》，作为附录收录。）
（李时珍说：凡是使用蝉蜕壳，要用沸水清洗去除泥土、翅膀和足部，再用浆水清洗一遍，晒干后使用。）
古人使用蝉的身体，后人使用蝉蜕下的壳。“蜕”的意思是褪去、脱落。因此，对于眼睑膜翳障（眼部的遮蔽物）、痘疹不起发（天花或麻疹皮疹难以透发）、皮肤隐疹（隐蔽的皮疹），以及一切风热证候，都取蝉蜕来使用。学者如果了解了蝉的本性本源，就能明白蝉蜕的治疗作用了。
【白僵蚕】
气味咸、辛、平，无毒。主治小儿惊痫及夜间啼哭，驱除三种寄生虫（三虫），消除面部黑斑（黑皯），使人面色红润好看，治疗男子阴部瘙痒病。
（蚕在各地都可以饲养，而江浙地区尤其多。蚕若因中风而死，其颜色不变，所以名叫“白僵”，“僵”是指死了而不腐烂的意思。《乘雅》说：现在市场上多用中温下死亡的蚕，用锻石浸泡拌匀，使其变白供人服用，危害最深。如果是痘疹患者服用，必然导致干燥开裂发黑，不可不谨慎啊。）
白僵蚕颜色白、质地坚硬，气味咸、辛，禀受了金和水两行的精气。东方属肝木，肝病容易引发惊骇，金能克制木，所以主治小儿惊痫。天体运行循环转动，白天开启夜晚闭合，所以能止住小儿夜间啼哭。金主肃杀之气，所以能驱除三虫。水气主滋润，所以能消除黑斑并使人面色好。金能制约风邪，咸味能杀灭瘙痒，所以治疗男子阴部瘙痒的病。
蝉蜕和白僵蚕，都禀受了金水的精气，所以《神农本草经》中记载的主治功效大体相同。但是蝉只喝水不吃食，排尿但不排便；蚕只吃食不喝水，排便但不排尿，为什么功效相同呢？《内经》说：“饮入于胃，上归于肺。”谷物进入胃中，乃传送到肺。饮水和进食虽然不同，但都由肺气的通调作用所主导；那么排尿和排便虽然形态各异，也都禀受肺气来进行传导化生。另外，凡是颜色白且禀受金气的药物，都不宜用火炒制。白僵蚕具有坚硬的金属之体，所以能祛风攻毒。如果用火炒，则金的形体就会消败，怎么能奏效呢？后人不能体会事物的物理本性，不考察药物的性质，而胡乱加以炮制，不仅仅只有白僵蚕这一种。比如桑白皮炒黄，麻黄炒黑，杏仁、蒺藜都用火炒。诸如此类，无法一一列举，都是由于不知道药性的本源，拘泥于习俗所致罢了。
[Cicada Slough]
The flavor is salty, sweet, and the nature is cold; it is non-toxic. It treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy (pediatric convulsions and epilepsy), and difficult labor in women (difficult labor). When burned to ash and taken with water, it treats chronic dysentery (chronic dysentery). (From *Bielu*, included as an appendix.)
(Li Shizhen said: Whenever using the sloughed shell, wash away dirt, wings, and legs with boiling water, rinse with grain-water, dry it, and then use it.)
Ancients used the body of the cicada, while later generations used the sloughed shell. "Slough" means shedding or molting. Therefore, for conditions such as corneal opacity or membrane obstruction (corneal opacity or membrane obstruction), failure of pustules to erupt (failure of pustules to erupt), hidden skin rashes (hidden skin rashes), and all wind-heat syndromes, one takes the slough for use. If scholars understand the original nature of the cicada, they will understand the therapeutic effects of Cicada Slough (*Yìntuì*).
[White Stiff Silkworm]
The flavor is salty and pungent, and the nature is neutral; it is non-toxic. It treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy accompanied by night crying, expels three types of parasites (three types of parasites), removes facial dark spots (facial dark spots), improves complexion, and treats pruritus of the male genitals (pruritus of the male genitals).
(Silkworms can be bred everywhere, but are particularly abundant in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. When a silkworm dies from wind-stroke, its color does not change, hence the name "White Stiff" (*Báijiāng*); "stiff" refers to being dead yet undecayed. *Chengya* states: Nowadays, markets mostly use silkworms that died at moderate temperatures, soaked and mixed with calcined gypsum (*Duànshí*) to make them white for consumption, which causes severe harm. If used for pustular diseases, it will inevitably cause dryness, cracking, and blackening; one must be extremely cautious.)
White Stiff Silkworm (*Báijiāngcán*) is white in color and hard in texture, with a salty and pungent flavor, embodying the essence of Metal and Water. The East corresponds to Liver Wood; liver pathology often manifests as fright and panic. Metal can subdue Wood, thus it treats pediatric convulsions and epilepsy. The rotation of heavenly cycles, opening during the day and closing at night, therefore stops night crying in children. Metal governs肃杀 (astringency and killing), thus expelling the three parasites. Water energy governs moisturizing, thus removing dark spots and improving complexion. Metal can restrain Wind, and saltiness can eliminate itching, thus treating pruritus of the male genitals.
Cicada Slough (*Yìntuì*) and White Stiff Silkworm (*Báijiāngcán*) both embody the essence of Metal and Water, so the main indications recorded in *Shennong Bencao Jing* are largely similar. However, the cicada drinks but does not eat, and urinates but does not defecate; the silkworm eats but does not drink, and defecates but does not urinate. Why are their effects similar? The *Jing* (Classic) states: "What is drunk enters the stomach and ascends to return to the Lung." Grain entering the stomach is transmitted to the Lung. Although drinking and eating differ, both are governed by the unobstructed flow of Lung Qi; similarly, although urination and defecation differ in form, both rely on Lung Qi for transmission and transformation. Furthermore, any substance that is white and embodies Metal Qi should not be stir-fried over fire. White Stiff Silkworm possesses a hard, metallic body, enabling it to dispel wind and attack toxins. If stir-fried over fire, the metallic body will be destroyed, rendering it ineffective. Later generations failed to comprehend the physical principles and drug properties, and recklessly applied processing methods. This is not limited to White Stiff Silkworm alone. For example, Mulberry Bark (*Sangbaidipi*) is stir-fried until yellow, Ephedra (*Mahuang*) is stir-fried until black, and Apricot Kernel (*Xìngrén*) and Tribulus (*Jílí*) are all stir-fried over fire. Such cases are too numerous to list entirely. All stem from ignorance of the origin of drug properties and adherence to customary practices.