Page Two

original: 本草綱目 (Bencao Gangmu). This is the title of the work, written by Li Shizhen in the 16th century.

Blue Magpie from the Dietary Materia Medica
original: 山鵲 (Shanque). Literally "Mountain Magpie." The text cited is the Shiwu Bencao, which focuses on the nutritional and medicinal value of foods.

Cold-shivering Bird from the Jiayou Materia Medica
original: 鶡嘲 (Hechao), likely a transcription error for 鶡鴠 (Hedan). This bird was famously believed to sing for the sun in winter but shiver when the cold set in. It is cited from the Jiayou Bencao, an 11th-century imperial revision.

Cuckoo from the Supplement to Materia Medica
original: 杜鵑 (Dujuan). Cited from the Bencao Shiyi by Chen Zangqi, which recorded many folk remedies and unusual species.

Parrot from the Dietary Materia Medica Myna Bird-Phoenix attached
original: 鸚鵡 (Yingwu). The entry includes the Hill Myna (秦吉了, Qin jiliao) and the Bird-Phoenix (鳥鳳, Niaofeng) as related or "attached" species.

To the right are the attached prescriptions: five from old sources, nine newly added.
Li Shizhen distinguishes between medical recipes inherited from previous generations ("Old") and those he personally collected or tested ("New").

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Part 4: Birds

original: 禽之四 (Qin zhi si). This marks the fourth major sub-category within the Division of Birds.

Mountain Bird Category: Eleven Species with two species attached

original: 山禽類 (Shanqin lei). This section describes birds primarily found in mountainous or high-altitude environments. Even mythical or semi-mythical birds are categorized here based on their legendary habitats.

Phoenix from the Supplement to Materia Medica
original: 鳳凰 (Fenghuang). In traditional Chinese medicine, even legendary creatures like the phoenix were occasionally included for their symbolic or historical associations with longevity and health.

Peacock from the Records of Famous Physicians
original: 孔雀 (Kongque). This entry comes from the Mingyi Bielu, a foundational pharmacological text from the 3rd century.