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Chapter 10 of 33
神农本草经
Overall Paraphrase
Shennong's Classic of the Materia Medica — Insects and Fish (Upper Grade)
Stone Honey 🌿
Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature.
Governs evils qi in the heart and abdomen, various fright seizures, epilepsy, spasms and convulsions. It calms the five viscera, supplements all types of vacuity and deficiency, boosts qi and fortifies the center, stops pain and resolves toxins, eliminates numerous diseases, and harmonizes the hundred medicines. Taken long-term, it strengthens the will, makes the body light, prevents hunger, and delays aging. Also known as Stone Syrup. Grows in mountain valleys.
Wu Pu said: Stone honey — Shennong and Lord Thunder consider it sweet in flavor and neutral in qi, produced in Heyuan or Heliang. (Another quotation from the Yulan says: produced in the mountain valleys of Wudu)
Famous Physicians say: Produced in Wudu, Heyuan, and among rocks in various mountains; those white as paste or lard are of superior quality.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: "Bee" — sweet syrup. Some say it is the moth larva, or written as "honey." The Classic of Mountains (Zhongshan) says: Pingfeng Mountain has much sand and stone, and is where bees and honey nest. Guo Pu notes: "Honey" is the name of the red bee. The Xijing Zaji says: The King of Nanyue presented five hu of stone honey to Emperor Gaozu of Han. The Yupian says: "螽" means sweet syrup. Su Gong says: The character "stone" should be removed.
Bee Larvae 🌿
Sweet in flavor, neutral in nature.
Governs wind-related head conditions, eliminates gu toxins, supplements vacuity and emaciation, and internal injury. Taken long-term, it makes the skin glossy, the complexion beautiful, and delays aging. Large wasp larvae govern heart and abdominal distension and pain, lighten the body and boost qi. Ground wasp larvae govern abscesses and swellings. Also known as Feiling. Grows in mountain valleys.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in Wudu.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: "Bee" — a flying insect that stings. In ancient script, it is abbreviated as "蜂." The Guangya says: "蠓" means bee. Also, "上蜂" is "螉." The Er'ya says: "土蜂" (ground bee). Guo Pu notes: The large bees that nest underground in the Jiangnan region are ground bees; those whose larvae are eaten are horse bees, which people in Jing and Ba today call "蟺." There is also the "wood bee." Guo Pu says: Similar to the ground bee but smaller in size, it nests in trees; in Jiangdong it is also called wood bee, and its larvae are also eaten. The Liji · Tangong says: "范" is the cap. Zheng Xuan notes: "范" means bee. The Fangyan says: Beetles — between Yan and Zhao they are called "蠓螉," the smaller ones called "螉," or "蚴蜕"; the large ones with honey are called "壶蜂" (kettle bees). Guo Pu notes: The black bees of today that bore holes and nest in bamboo and wood, some producing honey, are sometimes called "笛师." Case: The bee being named "范" is a phonetic correspondence, such as in Sima Xiangru's rhapsody where "泛" is used for "枫." In the Zuozhuan, "沨沨" equals "汛汛."
Beeswax 🌿
Sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature.
Governs dysentery with pus and blood, fortifies the center qi, mends broken injuries and sword/blade wounds, boosts qi, prevents hunger, and delays aging. Grows in mountain valleys.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in the honey rooms of Wudu, among wood and stone.
Case: The Xijing Zaji says: The King of Nanyue presented two hundred pieces of beeswax to Emperor Gaozu of Han. The Yupian says: "Wax" is the dregs of honey. Tao Hongjing says: White wax is produced within honey, thus called beeswax. The Shuowen Jiezi has no character "蜡." Zhang You says: "腊" and "蜡" are distinct; the old text writes "蜡," and this is now corrected accordingly.
Oyster Shell 🌊
Salty in flavor, neutral in nature.
Governs cold and heat patterns from cold damage, warm malaria with chills and shivering, fright and anger qi, eliminates sinew vessel spasms and contractures, rat fistulas, and women's red and white vaginal discharge. Taken long-term, it strengthens the bones and joints, dispels evil qi, and prolongs life. Also known as Liha. Grows in ponds and marshes.
Famous Physicians say: Also known as Mugua (male mussel). Produced in the East Sea. No fixed season for collection.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: "虿" — a clam genus. Similar to "螊" but slightly larger, produced in the sea, now eaten by common people. Also read as "kulai." It also says: The "蜃" genus has three types, all born in the sea; "蛤" and "厉" transform from thousand-year-old sparrows, and in Qin they are called oyster shells.
Tortoise Shell 🌿
Salty in flavor, neutral in nature. Governs uterine bleeding, red and white vaginal discharge, breaks accumulations and masses, malaria, five types of hemorrhoids, genital erosion sores, damp bi, heaviness and weakness of the four limbs, and failure of the infant fontanel to close. Taken long-term, it lightens the body and prevents hunger. Also known as Shenwu (Divine House). Grows in ponds and marshes.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in the South Sea and in lakes. No fixed season for collection.
Case: The Guangya says: "介" means tortoise. Gao You's commentary on the Huainanzi states: Tortoise shell means tortoise carapace.
Mantis Egg Case (Sangpiaoxiao) 🌿
Salty in flavor, neutral in nature.
Governs internal injury, hernia-like accumulations, impotence, benefits essence and aids conception and childbirth, women's amenorrhea, lower back pain, resolves five types of strangury, and facilitates the water passage. Also known as Shiyou. Grows on mulberry branches; must be steamed after collection.
Wu Pu says: Mulberry mantis case — also known as Shiyou, also known as Haijiao, also known as Zhi. Shennong considers it salty in flavor and nontoxic. (Yulan)
Famous Physicians say: This is the egg case of the praying mantis. Collected in the second and third months, prepared by roasting.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: "蜱" — 蜱蛸, or written as 蜱蛸, 虫蛸, mantis young. The Guangya says: 蟭, 乌涕, and 冒焦 all refer to mantis eggs. The Er'ya says: "不过" is the mantis (螳蠰); its eggs are called 蜱蛸. Guo Pu notes: Also known as "焦," it is the egg case of the mantis. Fan Zi Jimran says: Mantis egg cases are produced in Sanfu; the superior grade costs three hundred. The old text writes "螵," similar in sound — a scribal error.
The Yupian says: 蜱 is the same as 螵.
Sea Clam 🌊
Bitter in flavor, neutral in nature.
Governs cough with qi counterflow and upward rushing, wheezing and vexation with chest fullness, chest pain, and alternating cold and heat. Also known as Kuige.
Wu Pu says: Sea clam — Shennong considers it bitter, Qibo considers it sweet, Bian Que considers it salty. Large specimens have head-like ridges with grain patterns like grinding teeth. No fixed season for collection.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in the South Sea.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: "Clam" — of the 蜃 genus; sea clams transform from hundred-year-old swallows; 魁蛤 is also known as 复累, transforming from old flying bats. The Er'ya says: 魁陆. Guo Pu notes: The Materia Medica says, 魁 has the shape of a sea clam — round and thick with crossing patterns — it is today's cockle (蚶). In the Zhouli, the turtle-keeper presents 蠯; Zheng Sinong says: 蠯 means clam. Du Zichun says: 蠯 means 蝝. The Zhou Shu · Wang Hui says: Dongyue presents sea clams. Kong Chao notes: Clam means striped clam. Case: The Mingyi Bielu has a separate entry for sea clam stating: Also known as Kuilu, also as Huodong — this is incorrect.
Striped Clam 🌊
Governs malignant sores, erosive sores (the Yulan writes "eliminates yin erosion"), and five types of hemorrhoids (the Yulan adds "with heavy anal bleeding"; the Daguan Ben Cao writes it as black text).
Famous Physicians say: Produced in the East Sea, with stripe patterns on the surface. No fixed season for collection.
Snakehead Fish 🐟
(The Chuxueji quotes this as "Liyu" / black carp)
Sweet in flavor, cold in nature.
Governs damp bi, facial and body edema, and promotes urination to reduce swelling. Also known as Tongyu. Grows in ponds and marshes.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in Jiujiang. No fixed season for collection.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: 鳢 is 鲖. 鲖 is 鳢. Pronounced like "kulong." The Guangya says: 鲡 is 鰃鲖. The Er'ya says: 鳢. Guo Pu notes: It is 鲖. In the Maoshi: 鲂鳢. The Maozhuan notes: 鳢 is 鲖. However, the Shuowen Jiezi says 鳢 is 鳠 — the two differ, and Mao Chang and Guo Pu both explain 鳢 as 鲖, disagreeing with Xu Shen. Yet the Chuxueji also quotes this entry as 鳢 — likely the two characters being homophonic led to successive textual corruptions, now difficult to ascertain. The Guangya also writes 鲡, also a phonetic variant. Furthermore, the Guangzhi says: The porpoise (豚鱼), also called 鲖 (Yulan) — yet another different explanation.
Lu Ji also says: 鳢 is the 鲍 (sheatfish). It resembles the 鳢 but is narrower and thicker; people east of the capital today still call it 鳢鱼. Also, the Bencao Yanyi says: The 蠡 fish is what people today call the black carp; Daoists believe that those with star-like markings on the head can ward off evil. Based on these various sources — if the character is 鲤 (carp), the Shuowen Jiezi calls it 鲖, the Guangzhi considers it a river porpoise, and the Bencao Yanyi considers it the black carp; if the character is 鳢, the Shuowen Jiezi considers it 鲡, the Guangya considers it a type of eel, and Lu Ji considers it a sheatfish. The various explanations diverge, and the matter is difficult to settle definitively.
Common Carp 🐟
Bitter in flavor, cold in nature.
Governs red, painful eyes with heat, and blue-blindness (glaucoma); brightens the eyes. Taken long-term, it strengthens the body and boosts the will. Grows in ponds and marshes.
Famous Physicians say: Produced in Jiujiang. No fixed season for collection.
Case: The Shuowen Jiezi states: Carp — 鳣. 鳣 — carp. The Er'ya says: Carp is 鳣. Sherén says: Carp, also called 鳣. Guo Pu's commentary on "鲤" says: The red carp of today. On "鳣" it says: A large fish, resembling the sturgeon. In the Maoshi: 鳣鲔发发. The Maozhuan notes: 鳣 is carp. Accordingly, Guo Pu's division of the two into separate species is incorrect. The Gujin Zhu says: People of Yanzhou call the red carp "Red Steed," the green carp "Green Horse," the black carp "Dark Colt," the white carp "White Mount," and the yellow carp "Yellow Pheasant."
The above: Insects and fish. Upper grade — ten items in total, identical to the old edition.
This content is based on classic ancient Chinese medical texts and is provided solely for the study and appreciation of traditional culture. It does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication guidance, or treatment advice. If you feel unwell, please seek medical attention promptly.