Properties: None given
Meridans Entered:
Primary: None given
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Tonifies Jing
Alchemical practices of longevity
Suggested Daily Dosage: Mixed with semen and drunk.
Notes:
Li Shizhen describes the practice among "practitioners of evil arts"(邪術家 Xie Shu Jia) to blend their own semen with the menstrual blood of a maiden and eat it. They call this mixture Lead and Mercury (鉛汞 Qiangong). He considers the practice evil, stupid and ineffective (tr. Luo 2003, p. 4173). However, the use of a woman's menstrual cloth (女子布 Niu Zi Bu) has been documented as far back as the 52 Prescription found in the Mawangdui tomb dated 168 BCE.
Notably, the magical power of menstrual blood is not limited to western cultures with it still making up a component of the "Cakes of Light" in the Thelemic religion (Crowley, A., 1997, Magick in Theory and Practice, ch. 20; Liber Al vel Legis, ch. III, vv. 23-25) and consume it is a similar, albeit processed and in minute quantity for its symbolic benefits.
Does not appear in any formulae listed on this site
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.