松脂 Songjin (송진)

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 3

1. 性溫, 味苦甘一云平, 無毒. 安五藏, 除熱.

   Its nature is warm, its taste bitter and sweet, though one account calls it neutral, and it is non-toxic. It settles the five jang (五藏, five viscera) and removes heat.

   HomiclubSongjin is the resin that seeps from a pine trunk and hardens. The same substance is known today as rosin, the block rubbed on a violin bow.

2. 治風痺死肌. 主諸惡瘡, 頭瘍, 白禿, 疥瘙.

   It treats pungbi (風痺, wind impediment) and necrotic flesh. It governs all malignant sores, head sores, baekdok (白禿, white scald of the scalp), and scabies.

3. 去死肌, 療耳聾, 牙有蛀孔. 貼諸瘡, 生肌, 止痛, 殺蟲.

   It removes necrotic flesh and treats deafness and worm-eaten holes in the teeth. Applied to sores it engenders flesh, stops pain, and kills worms.

4. 一名松膏, 一名松肪.

   It is also called songgo (松膏) and songbang (松肪).

5. 六月採, 自流出者, 勝於鑿孔及煮取脂也. 以通明如熏陸香者爲勝.

   It is gathered in the sixth month, and what flows out of itself is better than resin obtained by boring holes or by boiling. Pieces as clear as hullyukhyang (熏陸香, frankincense) are reckoned best.

   HomiclubHullyukhyang is the old name for frankincense. Like pine resin, it is a tree gum that hardens into translucent lumps.

6. 煉法, 以桑灰水或酒, 煮軟挼, 內寒水中, 數十過, 白滑則可用. 《本草》

   To refine it, boil it soft in mulberry-ash lye or in liquor, knead it, and plunge it into cold water; repeat some dozens of times, and when it turns white and smooth it is fit for use. 《Boncho (本草)》

7. 又法, 用河水煮化, 投冷水中, 令兩人扯拔, 旣凝再煮, 如此三次, 再用酒煮三次, 以白如飴糖爲度.

   By another method, melt it by boiling in river water, cast it into cold water, and have two people pull it out between them; when it sets, boil it again, doing this three times, then boil it three more times in liquor, taking whiteness like malt candy as the measure.

8. 凡用, 入石臼中, 另搗爲末, 不可曬焙. 亦不可單服, 塞實腸胃. 《入門》

   Whenever it is used, put it in a stone mortar and pound it separately to powder; it must not be sun-dried or fire-dried. Neither should it be taken alone, for it blocks and stuffs the intestines and stomach. 《Ipmun (入門)》