（《唐本草》）
【释名】钵摆娑福罗（《梵书》）。
【集解】恭曰∶珊瑚生南海，又从波斯国及师子国来。
颂曰∶今广州亦有，云生海底作枝柯状，明润如红玉，中多有孔，亦有无孔者，枝柯多
者更难得，采无时。谨按《海中经》云∶取珊瑚，先作铁网沉水底，珊瑚贯中而生，岁高三
二尺，有枝无叶，因绞网出之，皆摧折在网中，故难得完好者。不知今之取者，果尔否？汉
积翠池中，有珊瑚高一丈二尺，一本三柯，上有四百六十三条，云是南越王赵佗所献，夜有
光景。晋石崇家有珊瑚高六、七尺。今并不闻有此高硕者。
宗 曰∶珊瑚有红油色者，细纵纹可爱。有如铅丹色者，无纵纹，为下品。入药用红油
色者。波斯国海中有珊瑚洲，海人乘大舶堕铁网水底取之。珊瑚初生磐石上，白如菌，一岁
而黄，三岁变赤，枝干交错，高三、四尺。人没水以铁发其根，系网舶上，绞而出之，失时
不取则腐蠹。
时珍曰∶珊瑚生海底，五、七株成林，谓之珊瑚林。居水中直而软，见风日则曲而硬，
变红色者为上，汉赵佗谓之火树是也。亦有黑色者不佳，碧色者亦良。昔人谓碧者为青琅
，俱可作珠。许慎《说文》云∶珊瑚色赤，或生于海，或生于山。
据此说，则生于海者为珊瑚，生于山者为琅 ，尤可征矣。互见琅 下。
【气味】甘，平，无毒。
【主治】去目中翳，消宿血。为末吹鼻，止鼻衄（《唐本》）。
明目镇心，止惊痫（大明）。点眼，去飞丝（时珍）。
【发明】 曰∶珊瑚主治与金相似。
宗 曰∶今人用为点眼箸，治目翳。
藏器曰∶珊瑚刺之汁流如血，以金投之为丸名金浆，以玉投之为玉髓，久服长生。
【附方】旧一。小儿麸翳未坚，不可乱药。宜以珊瑚研如粉，日少少点之，三日愈。（钱
相公《箧中方》）
（出自《唐本草》）
【释名】钵摆娑福罗（出自《梵书》）。
【集解】苏恭说：珊瑚生长在南海，也从波斯国和师子国（狮子国）运来。
苏颂说：如今广州也有，据说生长在海底，呈树枝状，明亮润泽如同红玉，中间大多有孔，也有没有孔的，枝条分叉多的更加难得，采集没有固定时间。我谨查阅《海中经》记载：获取珊瑚，先制作铁网沉入水底，珊瑚在网中生长，每年长高三二尺，有枝无叶，因此绞动网将其取出时，珊瑚都在网中折断，所以很难得到完好的。不知道现在的人采集，果真如此吗？汉代积翠池中，有一株珊瑚高一丈二尺，一根主干三个分枝，上面有四百六十三条小枝，说是南越王赵佗所献，夜晚有光亮。晋代石崇家中有一株珊瑚高六七尺。如今并不听说有这么高大的珊瑚了。
陈藏器说：珊瑚有红油色的，带有细纵纹很可爱。有像铅丹颜色的，没有纵纹，属于下品。入药使用红油色的。波斯国海中有珊瑚洲，海人乘坐大船，将铁网沉入水底采集。珊瑚最初生长在磐石上，白色如菌类，一年变黄，三年变红，枝干交错，高三四尺。潜水人用铁器撬动其根部，系在网上，从船上绞拉出来，如果错过时机不采集就会腐烂蛀蚀。
李时珍说：珊瑚生长在海底，五六株成林，称为珊瑚林。在水中时笔直而柔软，见到风日则弯曲而坚硬，变成红色的为上品，汉代赵佗称之为火树。也有黑色的但不好，碧色的也很好。古人说碧色的称为青琅玕，都可以用来制作珠子。许慎《说文解字》说：珊瑚颜色赤红，有的生于海中，有的生于山中。
根据这种说法，那么生于海中的是珊瑚，生于山中的是琅玕，尤其可以证实了。详见琅玕条下。
【气味】甘味，平性，无毒。
【主治】去除眼中翳膜，消除陈旧瘀血。研成粉末吹入鼻中，可止鼻衄（出自《唐本草》）。
明目镇心，止惊痫（出自《大明本草》）。点眼，去除眼中飞丝（李时珍）。
(From *Tang Bencao* [Compendium of Materia Medica of the Tang Dynasty])
[Names] Bo-bai-suo-fu-luo (from *Fan Shu* [Book of Sanskrit]).
[Collection and Explanation] Su Gong stated: Coral grows in the South Sea, and is also imported from Persia and Simsi Guo (Lion Country).
Su Song stated: Currently, it is also found in Guangzhou. It is said to grow at the bottom of the sea in a branch-like shape, bright and lustrous like red jade, with many holes in the center, though some have no holes. Those with more branches are harder to obtain, and there is no fixed time for harvesting. I respectfully consulted the *Hai Zhong Jing* [Classic of the Sea], which states: To harvest coral, an iron net is first made and sunk to the bottom of the water. The coral grows through the net, increasing in height by two or three chi annually. It has branches but no leaves. When the net is hauled up, the coral breaks within the net, making intact specimens rare. I do not know if this is truly how they are harvested today. In the Ji Cui Pool of the Han Dynasty, there was a coral specimen one zhang and two chi high, with one main stem and three branches, bearing 463 twigs, said to be presented by Zhao Tuo, King of Nanyue, emitting light at night. Shi Chong of the Jin Dynasty owned a coral six or seven chi high. Today, such tall specimens are rarely heard of.
Chen Cangqi stated: There is coral with a red-oil color, possessing fine longitudinal striations that are pleasing. There is also coral resembling the color of lead-red (minium), without striations, which is considered inferior grade. For medicinal use, the red-oil colored variety is used. In the sea of Persia, there is a Coral Reef Island. Divers board large ships and sink iron nets to the seabed to collect it. Coral initially grows on bedrock, white as fungi; after one year it turns yellow, and after three years it turns red. The branches and stems intertwine, reaching three or four chi in height. Divers use iron tools to pry its roots, attach them to nets on the ship, and haul them out. If not harvested in time, they will rot and decay.
Li Shizhen stated: Coral grows at the bottom of the sea, with five or seven plants forming a forest, called a Coral Forest. Submerged, it is straight and soft; exposed to wind and sun, it becomes curved and hard. The variety that turns red is superior; Zhao Tuo of the Han Dynasty called it "Fire Tree." There are also black varieties, which are not good, and greenish-blue varieties, which are also excellent. Ancients referred to the greenish-blue ones as Qinglanggan [Azure Jade], all of which can be used to make beads. Xu Shen's *Shuo Wen Jie Zi* states: Coral is red in color; some grow in the sea, some grow in the mountains.
Based on this description, those growing in the sea are coral, while those growing in the mountains are Langgan [Azure Jade], which further confirms this distinction. See the entry for Langgan below.
[Flavor and Properties] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
[Indications] Removes nebulae (opacities) from the eyes, resolves old blood stasis. Ground into powder and insufflated into the nose, it stops epistaxis (from *Tang Bencao*).
Brightens the eyes, calms the heart, and stops convulsions and epilepsy (from *Da Ming Bencao*). Applied to the eyes, it removes foreign filaments (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Kou Zongshi stated: The therapeutic effects of coral are similar to those of gold.
Chen Cheng stated: Nowadays, people use it as eye-dropping sticks to treat ocular nebulae.
Chen Cangqi stated: When pierced, coral exudes juice like blood. By adding gold to it, pills named Jinjiang [Gold Paste] are made; by adding jade, pills named Yusui [Jade Marrow] are made. Long-term consumption promotes longevity.
[Attached Prescriptions] One old prescription. For infant bran-like nebulae that are not yet firm, chaotic medication should be avoided. It is advisable to grind coral into powder and apply a small amount to the eyes daily; it will heal in three days. (Qian Xianggong, *Qiezhong Fang*)