气味辛平，有毒。主治恶疮头秃，痂疥，杀毒虫虱，身痒邪气诸毒。炼之久服，轻身
，增年不老。
（雌黄与雄黄同产，雄黄生山之阳，雌黄生山之阴，一阴一阳，有似夫妇之道，故曰雌
雄。
李时珍曰∶雌黄、雄黄同产，但以山阴山阳受气不同分别，服食家重雄黄，取其得纯阳
之精
也。雌黄则兼有阴气，故不重。若治病，则二黄之功，亦相仿佛，大要皆取其温中搜肝，杀
虫解毒，祛邪焉尔。
愚按∶雄黄、雌黄气味宜同，今雄黄曰苦平，雌黄曰辛平，须知雄黄苦平而兼辛，雌黄
辛平
而兼苦，气味之同，难以悉举，故彼此稍异，以俟人之推测耳。
气味辛寒，有毒。主治疹 痂疡白秃，杀皮肤中虱，堕胎，除热，伏金银铜锡毒，熔
化还复为丹。久服神仙不死。
（水银一名汞，一名灵液，又名 女。古时出符陵平土，产于丹砂中，亦有别出沙地者。
今秦州、商州、道州、邵
武军、西羌、南海诸番、岭外州郡皆有。《陈霆墨谈》云∶拂林国当日没之处，地有水银海，
周遭四五十里，国人取之近
海十里许，掘坑井数十，乃使健夫骏马皆贴金箔行，近海边日照金光晃耀，则水银滚沸，如
潮而来，其势若粘裹，其人
即回马疾驰，水银随赶。若行缓则人马具扑灭也，人马行速则水银势远力微，遇坑堑而溜积
于中，然后取之。又，马齿
苋干之十斤，可得水银八两，名曰草汞。）
水银气味辛寒，禀金水之真精，为修炼之丹汞，烧朱则鲜红不渝，烧粉则莹白可爱，犹
人身
化乳则白，此天地所生之精汁也。主治疹 痂疡白秃者，禀水精之气，能清热而养血也。杀
皮肤中虱，堕胎者，禀金精
之气，能肃杀而攻伐也，性寒故能除热，汞乃五金之精，故能杀金银铜锡毒。水银出于丹砂
之中，而为阳中之阴。若熔
化，则还复为丹，而为阴中之阳。一名灵液，又名 女，乃天地所生之精汁，故久服神仙不
死。
（凡人误食水银则死。《本经》乃谓∶久服神仙不死者，盖以古之神仙，取铅汞二物，
用文
武火候炼养久久，而成还丹，服之得以延年不老，指此言耳，非谓水银可以久服也。然其法
久已失传，方士窃取其说以惑人，苟有服者，势在必死，载于典籍不一而足，不可以《本经
》有是文而误试之。然谓《本经》六字竟是后之方士增加者，恐又不然也。）
气味辛平，有毒。主治恶疮、头秃、痂疥，杀毒虫虱，治疗身痒、邪气及诸毒。经过长时间炼制后久服，能轻身延年，使人不老。
（雌黄与雄黄同出一处产地，雄黄生于山的南面（阳面），雌黄生于山的北面（阴面），一阴一阳，类似于夫妇之道，所以称为雌雄。
李时珍说：雌黄和雄黄同产一处，只是因受山阴、山阳气不同而加以区分。服食养生的人重视雄黄，是取其得到纯阳之精的缘故。雌黄则兼有阴气，所以不被重视。若用于治疗疾病，这两种黄的功效也大致相似，大体都是取其温中、搜肝、杀虫、解毒、祛邪的作用罢了。
我认为：雄黄和雌黄的气味应该相同，现在记载雄黄为苦平，雌黄为辛平，需要知道雄黄是苦平而兼有辛味，雌黄是辛平而兼有苦味。气味相同之处难以全部列举，所以彼此稍有差异，留给人们去推测罢了。
气味辛寒，有毒。主治疹子结痂、溃疡、白秃（头皮癣），杀灭皮肤中的虱子，堕胎，除热，化解金银铜锡的毒性，熔化后可还原为丹砂。长期服用可成仙不死。
（水银又名汞，又名灵液，又名姹女。古时候产于符陵平土，产生于丹砂之中，也有单独出产于沙地的。现在秦州、商州、道州、邵武军、西羌、南海各番邦、岭外各州郡都有产出。《陈霆墨谈》记载：拂林国太阳落下的地方，有水银海，周围四五十里，国人从离海边十里左右的地方取用，挖掘几十口坑井，然后让强壮的男子骑着骏马，身上都贴上金箔行走。靠近海边时，日照下金光闪耀，水银就会像潮水一样滚沸涌来，其势头仿佛粘裹住人，那人便骑马疾驰逃跑，水银随之追赶。如果走得慢，人马就会被水银淹没扑灭；如果人马跑得快，水银的势头就远且力弱，遇到坑洼沟壑就会溜积在其中，然后才能采集。另外，十斤干马齿苋可以提炼出八两水银，名叫草汞。）
水银气味辛寒，禀受金和水两种元素的真精，是修炼用的丹汞。烧朱砂则颜色鲜红不变，烧成粉则晶莹洁白可爱，就像人身上的乳汁变成白色一样，这是天地所生的精华汁液。主治疹子结痂、溃疡、白秃，是因为它禀受了水精之气，能够清热并养血。杀灭皮肤中的虱子、导致堕胎，是因为它禀受了金精之气，具有肃杀和攻伐的特性。性寒所以能除热，汞是五金的精粹，所以能杀灭金银铜锡的毒性。水银产生于丹砂之中，属于阳中之阴。如果熔化，则又还原为丹砂，成为阴中之阳。又名灵液，又名姹女，是天地所生的精华汁液，所以长期服用可成仙不死。
（凡人误食水银就会死亡。《神农本草经》却说“长期服用成仙不死”，这是因为古代的神仙，取铅和汞两样东西，用文火武火的火候长时间炼养，最终制成还丹，服用它可以延年不老，这里指的是还丹而言，并不是说水银可以长期服用。然而这种方法早已失传，方士窃取这个说法来迷惑人，如果有服用者，必定死路一条，典籍中记载的不计其数，不能因为《本经》有这样的文字就错误地尝试。但是说《本经》中的这六个字完全是后世方士添加的，恐怕也不对。）
Taste and nature: Acrid, neutral, toxic. Indications: Malignant sores, alopecia capitis (scalp baldness), scabies with crusts, killing poisonous insects and lice, treating body itching, pathogenic factors, and various toxins. After prolonged refining and long-term ingestion, it lightens the body, increases longevity, and prevents aging.
(Ci Huang [Realgar's female counterpart/Orpiment] and Xiong Huang [Realgar] are found in the same location. Xiong Huang grows on the sunny side of mountains (Yang aspect), while Ci Huang grows on the shady side (Yin aspect). One is Yin and one is Yang, resembling the way of husband and wife, hence named "Female" and "Male".
Li Shizhen stated: Ci Huang and Xiong Huang originate from the same place but are distinguished by receiving Qi from the mountain's shade or sun. Those who practice ingestion for health preservation value Xiong Huang, taking advantage of its pure Yang essence. Ci Huang contains Yin Qi as well, so it is not valued as highly. However, when used to treat diseases, the efficacy of both is quite similar; generally, they are used for their ability to warm the middle, search the Liver, kill parasites, detoxify, and dispel pathogens.
I observe: The taste and nature of Xiong Huang and Ci Huang should be the same. Currently, Xiong Huang is recorded as Bitter-neutral, and Ci Huang as Acrid-neutral. It must be understood that Xiong Huang is Bitter-neutral yet also Acrid, while Ci Huang is Acrid-neutral yet also Bitter. The similarities in taste and nature cannot be fully enumerated, so there are slight differences between them, left for people to deduce.
Taste and nature: Acrid, cold, toxic. Indications: Crusted rashes, ulcers, tinea capitis (white baldness), killing lice in the skin, inducing abortion, clearing heat, resolving toxicity of gold, silver, copper, and tin, and melting back into cinnabar. Long-term ingestion leads to immortality.
(Mercurius [Quick Silver/Mercury], also known as Gong, Ling Ye, or Cha Nu [Fairy Maiden]. In ancient times, it was produced in Fuling Pingtu, originating within Cinnabar, though sometimes found separately in sandy areas. Today, it is produced in Qinzhou, Shangzhou, Daozhou, Shaowu Jun, Xi Qiang, Nanhai tribes, and various prefectures beyond the Five Ranges. *Chen Ting Mo Tan* records: In the land where the sun sets in Fulín Kingdom, there is a Sea of Mercury spanning forty to fifty li. People take it from about ten li near the sea by digging dozens of pits and wells. Strong men riding fine horses, covered in gold foil, walk towards the seaside. When sunlight hits the shore, causing golden reflections, the mercury boils like a tide and rushes forward, appearing to cling to them. The riders then gallop away swiftly; if they move slowly, they and their horses will be extinguished/suffocated by the mercury. If they move fast, the mercury's force weakens and retreats, accumulating in pits and ditches, allowing for collection. Additionally, ten jin of dried Portulaca oleracea (Ma Chi Xian) can yield eight liang of mercury, called Grass Mercury.)
Mercurius has an acrid and cold nature, inheriting the true essence of Metal and Water. It is the alchemical mercury used in refinement. When Cinnabar is burned, it remains bright red; when calcined into powder, it becomes crystal clear and white, just as human milk turns white. This is the refined juice generated by Heaven and Earth. Its indication for crusted rashes, ulcers, and tinea capitis stems from its inheritance of Water's essence, enabling it to clear heat and nourish blood. Its ability to kill skin lice and induce abortion stems from its inheritance of Metal's essence, possessing austere and attacking properties. Its cold nature allows it to clear heat. As the essence of the five metals, it can resolve the toxicity of gold, silver, copper, and tin. Originating from Cinnabar, it represents Yin within Yang. Upon melting, it returns to being Cinnabar, becoming Yang within Yin. Named Ling Ye and Cha Nu, it is the refined juice of Heaven and Earth, thus long-term ingestion leads to immortality.
(Humans die if they accidentally ingest Mercurius. *Shennong Ben Cao Jing* states "long-term ingestion leads to immortality." This refers to the ancients' practice of using Lead and Mercury, refining them over a long period with gentle and strong fires to create Huan Dan (Returning Elixir). Ingesting this elixir extends life and prevents aging. This statement refers to the elixir, not raw Mercurius. However, this method has been lost for a long time. Alchemists stole this theory to deceive people. Anyone who ingests raw Mercurius will inevitably die, as recorded numerous times in classics. One should not mistakenly try it just because *Ben Cao Jing* contains these words. Conversely, claiming that these six characters in *Ben Cao Jing* were entirely added by later alchemists is likely incorrect as well.)