一切經音義 41.64

41.64

Vipers and snakes (蚖蛇: for the first character, fanqie wǔ-guān; for the second, fanqie shè-zhē. The Baopuzi says: "There are very many kinds of snakes, but only when the yuán (蚖) snake strikes a person is it most urgent: one can cut away the flesh at the bitten spot with a knife and cast it on the ground; the flesh will boil of itself as if roasted over fire, and in an instant be completely charred away, and the person can survive. If not cut away, they will surely die." The Xuanzhong ji says: "The yuán snake is three to four feet long, has four feet, and resembles a gecko. Along its spine are needle-sharp ridges sharp as a knife; it is exceedingly venomous and foul, and if it strikes a person, they die within half a day." The Shanhaijing says: "Its skin can be used to decorate knives and swords; it resembles sharkskin, but the grain is finer and different").