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Capítulo 15 de 33
神农本草经
This chapter is from the Mineral Drugs Section, Middle Grade of the Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Husbandman's Classic of the Materia Medica), containing a total of 14 types of mineral drugs. The old edition originally divided them into 16 entries, but the collators considered that "iron essence, iron flakes, and iron" should be merged into one entry. Drugs of the middle grade are mostly classified as "minister drugs"; the ancients believed that some of them are toxic and others non-toxic, and their use requires careful consideration. The following is a modern vernacular explanation of each entry.
Acrid in taste, neutral but偏向 cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats alternating chills and fever, rat fistulas (similar to cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis), stubborn ulcers, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and necrotic muscle, and it was believed to dispel spirits, ghosts, evil qi, and the poison of the hundred insects, as well as to counteract injuries caused by the five types of weapons. The ancients even said that "refining and taking it will make the body light and achieve immortality," which belongs to the concept of immortal alchemy and is not credible. Also known as Huangshishi, it grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Realgar is named because it grows on the sunny side of mountains, being the "masculine" member of the cinnabar family. Ancient commentaries citing the Classic of Mountains and Seas and the Baopuzi state that the best quality comes from Wudu, with a color red like a chicken crown, bright and pure; if it is purely yellow without a red luster, it can only be used as an ordinary medicine, not worthy of being an "immortal drug."
"Liu" means "sulfur." Sour in taste, warm in nature. Ancient records state it treats vaginal erosion (ulceration of the external genitalia) in women, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and putrid blood; it strengthens bones and sinews, removes scalp scabies, and was believed to be able to "transform" extraordinary things such as gold, silver, copper, and iron. Additional commentary mentions that blue and white sulfur mainly benefits liver qi and brightens the eyes, while red sulfur grows in the Qiangdao mountain valleys. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Sulfur is also known as Shiliuhuang. Ancient physicians had differing views on its toxicity; some said it is toxic, others said non-toxic; some said it grows in Yiyang and Hexi, with five colors, being the fluid of alum stone. When burned, it produces a purple flame; it is collected on the eighth and ninth months. The ancients used it for conditions such as blood stasis in women. Books like Fan Zi's Jiran also mention that sulfur comes from Hanzhong, and some people who took it actually had their lifespans shortened.
Acrid in taste, neutral in nature. Ancient records state it treats stubborn ulcers, scalp scabies, crusted scabies, kills poisonous insects and lice, stops body itching, dispels evil qi, and resolves various poisons. The ancients said that refining and taking it for a long time could lighten the body, increase longevity, and prevent aging—likewise not to be believed. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Orpiment and realgar grow on the same mountain, with orpiment on the shady side; where there is gold on the shady side, the gold essence fumigates and generates orpiment, collected at no fixed time.
Acrid in taste, cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats scabies, fistulas, crusted ulcers, and white scalp ringworm; kills lice in the skin; can induce abortion; removes heat; and resolves the poison of gold, silver, copper, and tin. The ancients said that after melting, mercury could transform back into cinnabar, and taking it long-term would grant immortality. This statement must be criticized.
Supplementary commentary: Mercury is also known as Gong (quicksilver). It originates from Fuling and emerges from cinnabar. The Shuowen, Guangya, Huainanzi, and other ancient texts all regard it as the white liquid metal transformed from cinnabar; Gao You directly stated, "Baihong is mercury."
Acrid in taste, slightly cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats externally contracted wind-cold with fever, rebellious stomach qi, fright with panting, dry mouth, bitter taste, dryness and scorching, difficult breathing, and hard painful masses in the abdomen. The ancients believed it could also eliminate "evil ghosts" and was used for childbirth and metal wounds. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Gypsum is also known as Xishi (fine stone). It is produced in Qishan, Qilushan, Lumengshan, and other places, collected at no fixed time.
Acrid in taste, cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats generalized bi pain (wandering arthralgia), wind-damp, joint pain with inability to hold objects, soreness and weakness, and it removes great heat, fullness and irritability, and deafness. Also known as Yuanshi. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Magnetite is also known as Cijun or Chushi. It grows on Mount Tai and on the shady side of Cishan; where there is iron, it grows on the sunny side. The ancients discovered very early that it attracts iron; the Guanzi, Lüshi Chunqiu, Huainanzi, and others record that "magnetite summons iron" and "magnetite can attract iron."
Acrid in taste, cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats body heat, abdominal accumulation, evil qi, skin feeling as if burned by fire, and fullness and irritability; it can be taken with water. The ancients said that taking it long-term prevents hunger. Also known as Baishuishi (white water stone). It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Ningshuishi is also known as Hanshuishi (cold water stone) or Lingshuishi (ice water stone). The ancients considered it the essence of salt, produced in Chang'an, Ningshan, Handan, and other places. Fan Zi's Jiran says that water stone comes from Hedong, with those bright in color being the best.
Salty in taste, slightly warm in nature. Ancient records state it treats uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge, breaks up retained blood in the uterus, masses and accumulations with binding qi, chills and fever with abdominal pain, infertility, impotence and failure of erection, and it supplements deficiencies. Also known as Baishi (white stone). It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Actinolite is also known as Shisheng or Yangqishi. The ancients believed it to be the root of mica, produced in Qishan, Langya, Yangqishan, and other places, collected at no fixed time.
Acrid in taste, warm in nature. Ancient records state it treats food injury with failure to digest, binding of evil qi, stubborn ulcers, carbuncles, fistulas, and hemorrhoids; it opens the nine orifices and promotes lactation. Also known as Tongshi. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Konggongnie is the root of Yinie (another stalactite form), greenish-yellow in color, and grows on Mount Liang.
Acrid in taste, warm in nature. Ancient records state it treats putrefactive wounds with blood stasis, diarrhea with chills and fever, rat fistulas, and masses with binding qi. Also known as Jiangshi. It grows in mountain valleys. The collators considered that this entry should be merged with Konggongnie into one.
Supplementary commentary: Yinie is the base of stalactite, produced in the state of Zhao, Mount Liang, and the South Sea, collected at no fixed time.
The ancients merged these three into one entry.
Supplementary commentary: Iron flakes are also known as Iron Fluid, and can be used to dye things black. Iron mines are found on Muyangshan, Fengcheng, or Xicheng, collected at no fixed time. The Shuowen states that iron is "black metal," written in ancient script as "銕."
Acrid in taste, cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats body heat, benefits the stomach, relieves irritability, benefits essence and brightens the eyes, breaks accumulations, and expels parasites from the body. Also known as Lizhishi. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Lishi is also known as Jishi (hunger stone). Its appearance resembles gypsum but with finer texture. It is produced in Hanzhong and Lushan, collected at no fixed time.
Acrid in taste, cold in nature. Ancient records state it treats body heat, cold reversal of the four limbs, promotes urination, unblocks blood vessels, brightens the eyes, removes cloudiness, improves vision, and expels worms and kills gu poison. The ancients said that taking it long-term prevents hunger. Also known as Fangshi. It grows in mountain valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Changshi is also known as Zhishi or Tushi. Its texture resembles horse teeth, moist and lustrous like jade. It is produced in Changzishan, Taishan, Linzi, and other places, collected at no fixed time.
Acrid in taste, neutral in nature. Ancient records state it treats gu poison, as well as snake venom, vegetable poison, meat poison, and various other poisons, and also treats stubborn ulcers. It grows in river valleys.
Supplementary commentary: Fuqing is also known as Tuiqing or Tuishi. It is produced in Yizhou. Tao Hongjing stated that at his time, it was no longer used in folk prescriptions or alchemical classics, and in later generations it gradually became unrecognized.
This chapter, located in the Mineral Drugs Section of the Middle Grade in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing, exemplarily reflects the early classification and clinical positioning of mineral drugs in pharmaceutical history.
Middle-grade "minister drug" attribute: The Shennong Ben Cao Jing classifies drugs into three grades: upper, middle, and lower. Middle-grade drugs mostly serve as "minister drugs," used both for treating disease and for supplementation or regulation, but "whether toxic or non-toxic, one must carefully consider appropriateness." The mineral drugs in this chapter perfectly embody this characteristic: there are relatively mild items like gypsum and felspar, but also clearly toxic items like realgar, orpiment, mercury, and sulfur.
Nature and action patterns of mineral drugs: The ancients believed that metal and stone drugs mostly possess actions of "heavy settling and descending," "clearing heat and attacking toxins," and "warming yang and dissipating masses." For example, gypsum, ningshuishi, changshi, and lishi are mostly acrid and cold in nature, used for body heat, fullness and irritability, thirst, etc.; realgar, orpiment, sulfur, and mercury are used for ulcers, scabies and ringworm, insect toxins, and gu poison; actinolite, konggongnie, and yinnie are偏向 warm, used for deficiency-cold, masses, impotence, uterine bleeding, etc.
The idea of "combating poison with poison" and insecticide/detoxification: Realgar, orpiment, sulfur, mercury, and fuqing were used to "kill the poison of the hundred insects," "kill poisonous insects and lice," and "kill gu poison," indicating that the ancients had observed the inhibitory effects of certain minerals on skin parasites and ulcer infections, forming the therapeutic concept of "combating poison with poison." This does not, however, equate to modern safe medication practices.
Early mineralogy and pharmaceutical chemistry in embryo: The materia medica literature preserves abundant records of mineral properties, origins, processing, and identification, such as realgar being best when "red like chicken crown," magnetite attracting iron, mercury "melting and returning to cinnabar," sulfur "burning with a purple flame," and iron flakes used for dyeing black. These reflect the ancients' preliminary understanding of the physical and chemical properties of minerals.
Realgar and Orpiment: Primarily contain arsenic sulfides. Modern research demonstrates insecticidal and antifungal effects, but arsenic compounds are toxic; oral administration or long-term use can cause arsenic poisoning, damaging the liver, kidneys, nervous system, and blood system. The ancient statements about "refining and taking for lightness and immortality" are not credible.
Sulfur: Natural sulfur has insecticidal and antibacterial effects, and external use can treat certain skin diseases. However, oral administration carries certain toxicity, especially unprocessed natural sulfur which may contain impurities; modern practice rarely uses it internally.
Mercury: Also known as quicksilver, this is a highly toxic heavy metal. Modern medicine explicitly prohibits the internal use of mercury and its compounds. The claim of "immortality with long-term use" represents a typical historical limitation; historically, many died from ingesting mercury and alchemical pills.
Gypsum: Main component is hydrous calcium sulfate. Modern pharmacology suggests its antipyretic effect may relate to calcium ions and trace elements; externally it has astringent and hemostatic effects. Gypsum remains a common heat-clearing and fire-purge drug in TCM today, but it must be used under physician guidance, not self-administered in large doses.
Magnetite: Main component is ferrous tetraoxide, with magnetic properties. Modern research suggests iron preparations may have some auxiliary value for tinnitus and dizziness related to iron-deficiency anemia, but the TCM actions of "pacifying the liver, suppressing yang, sharpening hearing, brightening eyes, and stabilizing breathing" lack high-quality evidence. Its iron content requires standardized processing.
Actinolite: A silicate mineral used in ancient formulas for warming the kidneys and invigorating yang. Modern evidence for its "yang-invigorating" effect is lacking, and some actinolite may contain asbestos-like fibers posing health risks; it should not be self-administered.
Konggongnie, Yinnie, Ningshuishi, Changshi, Lishi: Mostly carbonate, sulfate, or sulfate-type minerals. They are relatively mild, but claims in ancient texts like "long-term use prevents hunger" and "lightens the body and extends years" clearly exaggerate their supplementing effects and cannot serve as basis for modern use.
Iron Essence and Iron Flakes: Iron flakes are the waste scales from blacksmithing, mainly containing ferrous tetraoxide. Modern TCM occasionally uses sheng tieluo (raw iron flakes) for palpitations and insomnia, taking advantage of its heavy settling and mind-stabilizing properties; this still belongs to traditional theory and requires further research.
Interpretation of "killing spirits, evil ghosts, and evil qi": Such expressions should be understood as the ancients' metaphoric shorthand for certain acute infections, high fever with delirium, mental disorders, or unexplained causes; they do not literally refer to supernatural beings. Modern readers should view them rationally without mystification.
Beware of the "elixir" mindset: This chapter repeatedly mentions "long-term use lightens the body" and "immortality." Historically, the practice of taking mineral drugs caused numerous poisoning incidents. In modern wellness, do not credulously trust mineral-based health products or promotional claims for "ancient elixirs," especially mineral products containing mercury, arsenic, lead, or sulfur, which carry extremely high risks.
Value environmental and skin protection: The ancients used realgar and sulfur externally for sores, scabies, and insect toxins, suggesting that in daily life we should ensure dry and ventilated living environments and clean skin to reduce external intrusions such as insect bites, eczema, and ulcers.
Moderate diet and emotional regulation: Several drugs address "food injury with failure to digest," "abdominal accumulation," and "fullness and irritability," reminding modern people to maintain regular eating habits, avoid overeating, and learn to soothe anxiety and heat-related emotional disturbances to maintain emotional equilibrium.
Rational view of supplementation: Actinolite, konggongnie, and others were used to "supplement deficiencies," but modern individuals need not blindly pursue warming tonics for yang invigoration. Balanced nutrition, moderate exercise, and regular routines are safer and more effective than relying on mineral "supplements."
Related concepts: Three-grade classification, sovereign-minister-assistant-courier, four natures and five flavors, heavy-settling and mind-stabilizing properties of mineral drugs, combating poison with poison, alchemy and the custom of taking mineral drugs, the refinement relationship between cinnabar and mercury, magnetite attracting iron and ancient physical understanding.
Further reading: Shennong Ben Cao Jing: Preface, Baopuzi: Immortal Drugs, Ben Cao Gang Mu: Mineral Section, and relevant chapters in the Huangdi Neijing on heat diseases, bi syndrome, carbuncles, and mania.
Tips: This content is based on classical Chinese medical texts and is intended solely for traditional cultural study and research; it does not constitute any medical diagnosis, medication, or treatment advice. Please consult a qualified physician for health concerns.