腽肭脐，味咸，气大热，无毒。疗 癖 羸，并脾胃劳极，破宿血结聚及腰膝寒酸，辟
鬼气
，禁梦与鬼交，逐魅邪，止睡被魅魇，祛冷积，益元阳，坚举阳管不衰，诚助房术要药。
因
多假，又雌多于雄，雌者绝无功效。雄者固兴阳道，然而不配之参、术、熟地、山药、山茱
、杜仲、肉桂、巴戟天、肉苁蓉之类，功亦平平无奇，世人好异，动言兴阳必须腽肭脐，谁
知药品中多有胜之者，如鹿茸、海马之类，未尝不佳。
腽肭脐，鱼也，而人误认海豹为腽肭脐，所以兴阳无大效，转不如鹿茸、海马之能取胜
也。
腽肭脐，生于东海之中，最灵而善藏，能先知人捕取，故世人绝无有得之者。其形并不如狗
，鱼首，身无鳞甲，尾如鱼，有四掌，少异于鱼。曰海狗者即海豹，而掌则与腽肭脐相同。
海豹乃兽身，毛如豹，掌有毛，而腽肭脐无毛也。腽肭脐真者，闻其气即兴阳，正不必吞服
耳。至海豹性亦淫，亦能兴阳，故土人以海豹充腽肭，所以功薄而效轻，博物君子必有以辨
之。
或问腽肭脐今人并无有见之者，先生又从何处见之，而辨且如是之分明耶？曰∶古人之
书可
考也，何必亲见腽肭脐。余虽未见，而海豹则数见之。古人云∶腽肭脐，鱼也。余所见者，
乃兽也。非海豹而何，况其身绝似豹乎。吾故知今之所用者，
皆非真也。世情好异，谓不可得之物，必然功效实奇，
往往弃人参、鹿茸于不用，而必欲得腽肭以为快。及得
伪者，修合药饵，朝夕知服，未见其奇。不悟其腽肭之伪，而自叹其阳道之衰，虽助之而无
用也。吾深为世人惜之矣。
或疑腽肭脐，即海豹脐下之势也，古人讳言势而言脐耳。余以为不然。腽肭脐实鱼身，
而非
兽身也。东海之滨，岂无其种，然而绝无有获之者，使吾言无征，不可慨叹乎。虽然予之注
《本草》也，辨其理也，理真而义自确。百世之下，倘有人得之，取吾言而证之不诬，始信
吾先见之明也。
腽肭脐，味道咸，性质大热，没有毒性。治疗积聚痞块和身体消瘦虚弱，以及脾胃极度劳损，破除陈旧血液的结聚以及腰膝部的寒冷酸痛，驱除鬼气，防止梦遗和梦中与人交合（鬼交），驱逐邪魅之气，停止睡眠中被邪气侵扰导致的惊魇，祛除体内的冷积滞，补益元阳，使阴茎勃起坚硬且不衰退，确实是辅助房中术的重要药物。
因为市场上假货很多，而且雌性多于雄性，雌性的完全没有功效。雄性的虽然确实能振兴阳气之道，但是如果不配合人参、白术、熟地黄、山药、山茱萸、杜仲、肉桂、巴戟天、肉苁蓉这类药材使用，功效也平平无奇。世人喜好新奇，动不动就说振兴阳气必须用腽肭脐，谁知道在药品中有很多比它更好的，比如鹿茸、海马之类，用起来也未尝不好。
腽肭脐是鱼类，但人们错误地把海豹当作腽肭脐，所以兴阳效果不大，反而不如鹿茸、海马那样能取得显著疗效。
腽肭脐生长在东海之中，非常灵验且善于隐藏，能预先知道有人来捕捉，所以世人几乎没有能得到它的。它的形状并不像狗，头是鱼头，身上没有鳞甲，尾巴像鱼，有四只脚掌，与鱼略有不同。说它是海狗的其实就是海豹，而脚掌则与腽肭脐相同。海豹是兽身，毛色像豹子，脚掌有毛，而腽肭脐是没有毛的。真正的腽肭脐，闻到它的气味就能兴起阳气，正不必吞服它。至于海豹的性质也淫荡，也能振兴阳气，所以当地人用海豹冒充腽肭脐，因此药效微薄轻微，博学的君子一定有办法辨别它。
有人问：腽肭脐现在的人都没有见到过的，先生又从哪里见到的，并且分辨得如此分明呢？回答说：古人的书籍可以考证，何必亲自见到腽肭脐。我虽然没有见过，但是海豹则多次见到过。古人说：腽肭脐是鱼。我所见到的，却是兽类。不是海豹又是什么呢？况且它的身体极像豹子。所以我知道现在所使用的，都不是真的。世情喜好新奇，认为得不到的东西，必然功效奇特，往往抛弃人参、鹿茸不用，而一定要得到腽肭脐才痛快。等到得到了伪品，调配成药饵，早晚服用，却没有看到什么神奇之处。不明白腽肭脐是假的，却自己感叹阳气衰弱，虽然辅助它也没有用处。我为世人感到深深惋惜啊。
有人怀疑腽肭脐就是海豹脐下的生殖器部位，古人避讳说“势”（生殖器）而说“脐”罢了。我认为不是这样。腽肭脐实际上是鱼身，而不是兽身。东海之滨，难道没有这个物种吗？然而绝对没有人捕获到它，如果我的话没有证据，难道不值得慨叹吗？虽然如此，我注释《本草》时，是辨析其中的道理，道理真实了，含义自然准确。百代之后，如果有人得到了它，拿我的话去验证，发现没有欺骗，才会相信我有先见之明。
Asarum umbilicus (Tongna Qi), with a salty taste and strongly hot nature, is non-toxic. It treats accumulations and masses (Pi Lei) accompanied by emaciation, as well as extreme exhaustion of the Spleen and Stomach; it breaks up stagnant blood clumps and cold, sour pain in the waist and knees; it repels evil spirits (Gui Qi), prevents nocturnal emissions and sexual dreams involving spirits (Ghost Intercourse), drives away malevolent influences, stops sleep paralysis caused by demonic oppression, dispels cold accumulation, benefits the Primal Yang, ensures firm and sustained erection without decline, and is indeed an essential herb for assisting sexual techniques.
However, since there are many fakes on the market, and females outnumber males, the female has absolutely no efficacy. The male does indeed promote sexual function, but if not combined with herbs such as Renshen (Ginseng Root), Baizhu (Atractylodes Rhizome), Shudi (Prepared Rehmannia Root), Shanyao (Dioscorea Rhizome), Shanzhuyu (Cornus Fruit), Duzhong (Eucommia Bark), Rougui (Cinnamon Bark), Bajitian (Morinda Root), and Rongzong (Cistanche Stem), its efficacy remains mediocre. People favor novelty, often claiming that promoting sexual function requires Asarum umbilicus. Who knows that among medicinal materials, many surpass it, such as Lurong (Deer Antler Velvet) and Haima (Seahorse), which are also excellent.
Asarum umbilicus is a fish, but people mistakenly identify seals as Asarum umbilicus. Consequently, its effect on promoting sexual function is insignificant, inferior to the superior efficacy of Deer Antler Velvet and Seahorse.
Asarum umbilicus lives in the East China Sea. It is highly spiritual and good at hiding, able to foresee human capture attempts, so people rarely obtain it. Its shape is not like a dog; it has a fish head, lacks scales, has a fish-like tail, and possesses four paddles, differing slightly from typical fish. What is called "sea dog" is actually the seal, whose paddles resemble those of Asarum umbilicus. The seal has a mammalian body with fur resembling a leopard and hairy paddles, whereas Asarum umbilicus is hairless. Genuine Asarum umbilicus can induce erections merely by its scent, without needing to be ingested. Seals also possess a lustful nature and can promote sexual function. Therefore, locals use seals to substitute for Asarum umbilicus, resulting in weak effects. Learned scholars should be able to distinguish them.
One might ask: Since no one today has seen Asarum umbilicus, where did you see it to distinguish it so clearly? I reply: Ancient texts can be consulted; why must one personally see Asarum umbilicus? Although I have not seen it, I have seen seals multiple times. Ancients stated: "Asarum umbilicus is a fish." What I saw was a mammal. If not a seal, what else could it be? Moreover, its body resembles a leopard. Thus, I know that what is currently used is not genuine. People's preference for the novel leads them to believe that unobtainable items must have miraculous effects. They often discard Ginseng and Deer Antler Velvet, insisting on obtaining Asarum umbilicus for satisfaction. When they obtain fakes, prepare them into medicines, and take them morning and night, they see no miracle. Unaware of the falsity of their Asarum umbilicus, they sigh over their declining sexual potency, finding even assistance useless. I deeply pity the world for this.
Some suspect that Asarum umbilicus refers to the genitalia under the navel of a seal, and ancients avoided saying "genitalia" (Shi) and said "umbilicus" instead. I disagree. Asarum umbilicus is truly a fish body, not a mammalian body. Are there no such species off the coast of the East China Sea? Yet none are ever caught. If my words lack evidence, is it not lamentable? Nevertheless, when annotating the *Bencao* (Materia Medica), I analyze the principles. If the principle is true, the meaning becomes accurate. Centuries later, if someone obtains it and verifies my words without falsehood, they will believe in my foresight.