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Auripigmentum
Orpiment
雌黄 〔雌黃〕 cī huáng
Alternate Chinese names: 昆仑黄 kūn lún huáng
Kingdom: Mineral
Use: Medicinal
Properties: Acrid; balanced; toxin.
Channel entry: Liver channel.*
Actions and indications: Dries dampness, kills worms, and resolves toxin. Treats
Product description: This is a yellow mineral basically consisting of As₂S₃. It is similar to realgar (xióng huáng) in chemical constitution (realgar being AsS) and is paler in color.
Production area: Húnán, Húběi, Guìzhōu, Yúnnán, Sìchuān, and Shǎnxī (Shaanxi).
Etymology: The name cī huáng 雌黄, literally female yellow,
reflects the color of this item and the belief that it is found on the shady (yin, female) side of mountains. Compare xióng huáng 雄黄.