1. In the past, many people didn't go to see a doctor when they were ill; instead they called a Taoist priest to chant prayers.
2. At that time doctors could not control epilepsy. It may sound strange, but when the Taoist priests were asked to come and chant, the symptoms would abate.
3. So the number of people who had faith in the priests rather than in the doctors grew.
4. There was a student who had read a bit about medicine.
5. The Taoist priests just read off the chants that are on the tallies. How can they cure the disease? There had to be a reason.
6. I've got a plan ...
7. One day the student's wife went to the Taoist priest's house.
8. My husband's health looks bad, will you come and have a look please?
9. He only saw the student, his hair a mess, rolling on the ground talking incoherently.
10. I am the son-in-law of the Jade Emperor. I am under the Jade Emperor's orders to lead the Heavenly Soldiers to come to the mundane world.
11. This person is certainly possessed.
12. Souls on heaven, souls on earth, I prayed three times a day and asked the gods to come down in bodily form to the mundane world. I am under orders from Taishang Lao Chun to expel evil and cure the sick.
13. The Taoist priest chanted and then placed the tally in a bowl of water, asking the student to drink the water to chase away the demons possessing him.
14. I am the son-in-law of the Jade Emperor--what kind of devil are you? Get out of my sight!
15. Great! We got rid of him!
16. This is just a bowl of ordinary water.
17. The chant tally was made of cinnabar. Is it possible this cured the illness?
18. In this way, the student found the way to treat epilepsy--cinnabar. Thereafter, cinnabar became an important medicine.
Ingredients: Includes mercury, sulphur, and soil.
Nature: Sweet, slightly cold, non-toxic.
Effects: Used as an antispasmodic; is effective as a tranquilizer, diaphoretic, and thirst quencher, and in preventing miscarriage and in improving eyesight. Can only be used under the instruction of a practitioner of Chinese medicine.