李时珍曰∶兽者四足而毛之总称，地产也。豢养者谓之畜，《素问》曰“五畜为益”是
矣。周制庖人供六畜（马、牛、鸡、羊、犬、豕）。六兽（麋、鹿、野狼、麇、免、野豕也）。
辨其死
生鲜 之物。兽人辨其名物。凡祭祀宾客，供其死兽生兽。皮毛筋骨，人于玉府。冥氏攻猛
兽，穴氏攻蛰兽。呜呼！圣人之于养生事死、辨物用物之道，可谓慎且备矣。后世如黄羊黄
鼠，今为御供； 尾貂皮，盛为时用。山獭之异，狗宝之功，皆服食所须，而典籍失载。
羊之问，宣父独知； 鼠之对，终军能究。地生之羊，彭侯之肉，非博雅君子，孰能别之？
况物之性理万殊，人之用舍宜慎，盖不但多识其名而已也。于是集诸兽之可供膳食、药物、
服器者为兽类，凡八十六种，分为五类∶曰畜，曰兽，曰鼠，曰寓（《尔雅》释兽有鼠属、
寓属。邢 注曰∶猴类渐肖于人，寄寓山林，故曰寓属），曰怪（旧本兽部三品，共五十八
种。今并入五种，移一种入鳞部，一种入禽部，自虫部移入三种）。《神农本草经》一十五种
（梁陶弘景注） 《名医别录》一十一种（梁陶弘景注） 唐本草八种（唐苏恭） 《本草
拾遗》一十六种（唐陈藏器） 《炮炙论》一种（刘宋雷 ） 《蜀本草》一种（蜀韩保升）
《开宝本草》四种（宋马志） 《嘉 本草》一种（宋掌禹锡） 《图经本草》一种（宋苏
颂） 《证类本草》一种（宋唐慎微） 《本草衍义》一种（宋寇宗 ） 《日用本草》一
种（元吴瑞） 《食物本草》一种（明汪颖）
二十三种（明李时珍）
【附注】魏李当之《药录》 《吴普本草》 宋雷 《炮炙》 齐徐之才《药对》 唐
甄权《药性》 孙思邈《千金》 唐李 《海药》 杨损之《删繁》 萧炳《四声》 唐孟
诜《
王好古《汤液》 元朱震亨《补遗》 明汪机《会编》 王纶《集要》 陈嘉谟《蒙诠》
李时珍说：兽是四足且长毛动物的总称，属于地产之物。人工饲养的称为畜，《素问》中说“五畜为益”指的就是这个意思。周朝制度中，庖人负责供应六畜（马、牛、鸡、羊、犬、猪）和六兽（麋、鹿、野狼、獐、兔、野猪）。他们辨别死兽与生鲜之物。兽官辨别其名称和物类。凡是祭祀或接待宾客，就供应死兽和活兽。皮毛筋骨等原料，收入玉府（掌管珍宝器物的机构）。冥氏负责制服猛兽，穴氏负责制服冬眠的野兽。唉！圣人对于养生、事奉死者、辨别物品和使用物品的道理，可以说是谨慎而且完备了。后世如黄羊、黄鼠，如今作为宫廷贡品；尾貂皮，在当时非常流行。山獭的奇异之处，狗宝的功效，都是服食所必需的，但典籍中失于记载。关于羊的问题，孔子独自知晓；关于鼠的对答，终军能够探究透彻。地里生长的羊，彭侯的肉，如果不是博学君子，谁能分辨它们呢？何况万物的性理千差万别，人的取舍应当慎重，这不仅仅是多认识它们的名称罢了。于是收集各种可供膳食、药物、服饰器具用的兽类，共八十六种，分为五类：曰畜，曰兽，曰鼠，曰寓（《尔雅》解释兽类有鼠属、寓属。邢昺注解说：猴子类逐渐像人，寄居在山林，所以叫寓属），曰怪（旧本兽部三品，共五十八种。现在合并入五种，移一种入鳞部，一种入禽部，从虫部移入三种）。《神农本草经》十五种（梁代陶弘景注）《名医别录》十一种（梁代陶弘景注）唐本草八种（唐代苏恭）《本草拾遗》十六种（唐代陈藏器）《炮炙论》一种（刘宋雷敩）《蜀本草》一种（五代蜀韩保升）《开宝本草》四种（宋代马志）《嘉祐本草》一种（宋代掌禹锡）《图经本草》一种（宋代苏颂）《证类本草》一种（宋代唐慎微）《本草衍义》一种（宋代寇宗奭）《日用本草》一种（元代吴瑞）《食物本草》一种（明代汪颖）二十三种（明代李时珍）。
【附注】魏国李当之《药录》《吴普本草》宋代雷敩《炮炙》齐代徐之才《药对》唐代甄权《药性》孙思邈《千金方》唐代李珣《海药本草》杨损之《删繁本草》萧炳《四声本草》唐代孟诜《食疗本草》王好古《汤液本草》元代朱震亨《本草衍义补遗》明代汪机《本草会编》王纶《本草集要》陈嘉谟《本草蒙筌》
Li Shizhen stated: "Beasts" is the general term for four-footed animals with fur, which are products of the earth. Those that are domesticated are called "livestock," as mentioned in *Suwen* (Basic Questions), where it says "the five livestock bring benefit." According to the Zhou dynasty system, the kitchen officials supplied the six livestock (horse, ox, chicken, sheep, dog, pig) and the six beasts (elk, deer, wild wolf, muntjac, rabbit, wild boar). They distinguished between dead and fresh/raw animal products. The beast officers identified their names and species. For sacrifices and banquets, they provided both dead and live beasts. Their skins, fur, bones, and tendons were stored in the Jade Treasury (an institution managing precious items). Ming Shi was responsible for subduing fierce beasts, while Xue Shi handled hibernating beasts. Alas! The sages' approach to nourishing life, attending to the deceased, distinguishing objects, and utilizing materials was indeed cautious and comprehensive. In later generations, such as the yellow sheep and yellow weasel, became imperial tributes; sable tails became highly fashionable. The uniqueness of the mountain otter and the efficacy of the dog gallstone were necessary for consumption, yet were omitted from classical texts. Regarding sheep, Confucius alone possessed unique knowledge; regarding mice, Zhong Jun could thoroughly investigate them. Earth-born sheep and the flesh of Penghou—only erudite gentlemen could distinguish them? Moreover, since the nature and principles of things vary greatly, human selection and rejection should be prudent, going beyond merely knowing their names. Thus, I collected various beasts suitable for diet, medicine, clothing, and utensils, totaling 86 species, divided into five categories: Livestock, Beasts, Rats, Apes (The *Erya* explains that beasts include rat families and ape families. Xing Bing's commentary states: Monkeys gradually resemble humans and inhabit mountains and forests, hence called the ape family), and Monsters (The old edition of the Beast section had three grades, totaling 58 species. Now merged into five types, one moved to the Scale section, one to the Bird section, and three transferred from the Insect section). *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica): 15 species (annotated by Tao Hongjing of Liang); *Mingyi Bielu* (Record of Famous Physicians): 11 species (annotated by Tao Hongjing of Liang); Tang Bencao: 8 species (Su Gong of Tang); *Bencao Shiyi* (Supplement to Materia Medica): 16 species (Chen Zangqi of Tang); *Paozhi Lun* (Treatise on Processing): 1 species (Lei Xiao of Liu Song); *Shu Bencao*: 1 species (Han Baosheng of Former Shu); *Kaibao Bencao*: 4 species (Ma Zhi of Song); *Jia You Bencao*: 1 species (Zhang Yuxi of Song); *Tujing Bencao*: 1 species (Su Song of Song); *Zhenglei Bencao*: 1 species (Tang Shenwei of Song); *Bencao Yan Yi* (Expanded Meaning of Materia Medica): 1 species (Kou Zongshi of Song); *Riyong Bencao*: 1 species (Wu Rui of Yuan); *Shiwu Bencao*: 1 species (Wang Ying of Ming); 23 species (Li Shizhen of Ming).
[Appendix] Li Dangzhi's *Yaolu* (Wei Dynasty); Wu Pu's *Bencao*; Lei Xiao's *Paozhi* (Song Dynasty); Xu Zhicai's *Yao Dui* (Qi Dynasty); Zhen Quan's *Yaoxing* (Tang Dynasty); Sun Simiao's *Qianjin Fang* (Thousand Golden Prescriptions); Li Xun's *Haiyao Bencao* (Tang Dynasty); Yang Sunzhi's *Shanfan Bencao*; Xiao Bing's *Sisheng Bencao*; Meng Shen's *Shiliao Bencao* (Tang Dynasty); Wang Haogu's *Tangye Bencao*; Zhu Zhenheng's *Bencao Yan Yi Buyi* (Yuan Dynasty); Wang Ji's *Bencao Huibian*; Wang Lun's *Bencao Jiyao*; Chen Jiamo's *Bencao Mengquan*.