(left) A page from the Pen Ts'ao Kang mu with Ostrich (upper left), and Eagle (lower left) Phoenix (upper right); Peacock (lower right). Right several ostriches from other editions. Note that the ostrich was formerly also living is Asia. 

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Li Shih-chen: Pen ts'ao kang mu (The Great Herbal).
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Li Shih-chen obtained his father’s permission to devote himself to medicine. His education was not institutional but combined clinical experience in his father’s practice and study of the literature of theoretical medicine, therapeutics, and materia medica. Li’s skill as a physician won him considerable renown in his lifetime. He wrote at least twelve books on medical subjects, a collection of poetry and short prose writings also on astrology, geomancy, and divination. The book got actually compiled in 1578 out of a whole range of medieval books. In his book Li Shen-chen mentions where he got the information. This book is a great source to find out what the Chinese did with the imports they brought from Africa.

Taken from: Chinese Medicinal Herbs: A Modern Edition of a Classic Sixteenth-Century Manual.
                     Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) Li Shizhen
                     And many other books.

Tuoniao (Ostrich)
.................
In the book Xingcha Shenglan (1) by Fei Xin: In countries like Zhubu-guo (2) and Adan-guo, (A-den and Dju-bo on the East African coast) there is a kind of bird called Tuotiji (meaning chicken with camel feet). It is six to seven chi (3) tall. Its feet look like those of a camel.  
...............
Tuoniaoshi: Faeces of ostrich. It is nontoxic.
Chen Cangqi (4) says: it is good for treating a case where a person swallows iron or stone by accident. Take the remedy. This will dissolve the object.

Longxian; Dragon saliva (Ambergris) 
......................
Wang Ji (5) says: Dragons spit out saliva. It can be used to make incense. Li Shizhen says: Dragon saliva is seldom used by doctors. It can be used as an ingredient in making incense. It keeps the aroma of Longnao/borneolum syntheticum/borneol and Shexiang/moschus/musk potent for several dozen years. Some say that when dragon saliva is burned it emits a kind of smoke which stays in the air. It is found in the sea in the southwest. People say this is saliva spat out by dragons in the spring. It gathers together and keeps afloat. Local people collect it and sell each liang (6) for 1000 coins. There is also another substance that is obtained from fishes abdomens. It looks like glue and fat of yellow and white color. When dried, it turns yellow and black. It looks like Baiyaojian (7)/massa fermentata gallae et thei/leaven of Chinese nut-gall and tea. But it is finer in its texture. After long storage, it turns purple and black. It looks like Wulingzhi/faeces trogopterori/trogopterus dung. But it is lustrous. It is light and looks like Haifushi/ffumex/pumice. But it smells fishy and foul.

Luhui (Aloes)
...................
It is bitter, cold and nontoxic
It is good for treating restlessness and suffocation due to invading pathogenic Wind and Heat. It disperses heat resting in chest and diaphragm, brightens the eye and relieves palpitation. It also treats infantile convulsion and epilepsy, and five kinds of infantile malnutrition. It kills three worms, treats haemorrhoid, sore and fistula (16), and detoxifies toxin of Badou/ fructus crotonis/croton seed.

Myriad Harmonies Pills; Wan-ying-tan. Humau urine sediment, spirit leaven, white grapes, withered carrot root, lign aloes, and honey. Used for jaundice and all bilious difficulties.

A bitter crystalline extract (of aloes) called “elephant gall” because of its taste, was given to small children for anaemia with fevers. It was said to grow in Persia.

Moyao (Myrrh)
...................
Ma Zhi (8) says: Moyao is produced in Persia. The drug may be big or small with an indefinite shape. It looks like Anxixiang (12)/benzoinum/benzoin.
Su Song (9) says: Now it is also produced in Hainan (10) and Guangzhou (11). The trunk and root of the tree look like a white canary tree. It has green and flourishing leaves. From an old tree, a kind of resin will flow and drop onto the ground to form big or small pieces. It looks like Anxixiang (12). There is no definite time for collection.
................. Su Piao (13) says: The myrrh grows in the country of Po-se (Persia), and is the pine tree resin of that locality. In appearance it is like sen hian (divine incense) and red-black in color. As to its taste, it is bitter and warm. Li Si-cen says that he is ignorant of what the product sen hian is.

It removes blood stasis (15) and relieves pain. It is used to treat incised wound and scores due to flogging. It also treats various malignant sores, haemorrhoid and fistula (16). It stops sudden hematochezia (17), and treats nebula (cloudiness) and opacity (dullness) in the eye with inflammation and pain.

Nine fairies life-saving pills; Chiu-hsien-t’ao-ming-tan. Cinnabar, flower of sulphur, olibanum, myrrh, Baroos camphor, dragon’s blood, sulphate of copper, copperas, musk, burnt alum, bear’s gall, yellow lead, centipedes, earth worms, silk worms, plum flowers, cow bezoar (17), toad spittle (18), white jade dust, borax, tree grubs, and snails. For the treatment of all sorts of infected sores and boils.

Protecting pregnancy pills; Pao-t’ai-wan. Pachyma cocos, Atractylis ovata, Hibiscus rosa sinensis, myrrh, Cyperus rotundus, coriander, Leonurus sibiricus, and honey. These are to prevent threatened abortion and to render labor easy.

Amber powder; Hu-p’o-san. It is made as follows: Take of amber, one ounce; Corydalis ambigua, one half ounce; myrrh, one half ounce; rhubarb, one fourth ounce. These are to be all heated together and beaten into a powder. The drug is considered to be styptic and tonic, and it is used after labor with a view to restoring the normal circulation of the blood, in which case the rhubarb is left out.

Cinnabar five odor pills; Ch’en-sha-wu-hsiang-wan. These are made of cinnabar from Chenchou (19) in Hunan, dragon’s blood, olibanum,, myrrh, Corydalis ambigua, Huachou orange flowers, and honey. They are carminative, anti-spasmodic, and anti-emetic.

Qilinjie; Dragon’s blood
...................
Li Shizhen says: Qilin is also a name of a kind of horse (a giraffe actually). As this drug looks like dry blood, it is called Xuejie (exhausted blood).
...............
The book Yitong Zhi (20) says: ..........It is produced in western countries like Dashi (Arabs). There is a way of testing its authenticity: if the drug can penetrate into the nail, it is a genuine one............
It  is good for treating sudden onset of epigastric and abdominal pain. It stops bleeding in an incised wound, dissolves blood stasis (15), relieves pain and helps germination of new flesh. It disperses invading pathogenic factors in the five Vicera.

Seven Candarin Powder; (Ch’I-li-san). Use dragon bone, borax, dragon’s blood, catechu, Cannabis indica, and Forsythia suspensa, of each equal parts; powder finely. The dose is seven candarins, and is used in the treatment of wounds as an anodyne.

Seven precious powder; (Ch’i-pao-san). Use dragon bone, elephant’s skin, dragon’s blood, ginseng, Gynura

Xiang; Elephant
.......................
The book Nanyue Zhi (21) says; When the elephant hears thunder, designs appears on its tusk. This disappears after a while. It was said in ancient times that when a rhinoceros looks at the moon, designs grow on its horn. An elephant will have designs on its tusk when it hears thunder.
...................
Zhen  Quan (22) says: People in the western regions cherish its tusks and use the ivory to make ornaments for beds and chairs. In China ivory is cherished and is used to make Hu (an official tablet). An elephant will remove its tusks and bury them in the earth right afterwards. People in countries like Kunlun use a wooden tusk to replace the real ivory before taking it away.
.............
Xiangya (Ivory)
The book Zhenla fengtu Ji (23) says: The ivory taken from a just slaughtered elephant is of superior quality. Ivory taken from an elephant dead due to natural causes is secondary in quality. Ivory shed in the mountains long time ago is inferior. Some say an elephant sheds its tusks each year.
(Ivory;) It is sweet, cold and nontoxic.
It is good for treating an invasion of iron objects or other things into the flesh. Scrape bits from the ivory, and blend with water. Apply it on the affected area. This will make the intruding objects come out easily. Scrape bits from the ivory, and stir-fry until golden. Grind into powder. Take the powder with rice soup or hot water to treat epilepsy-from Kaibao Bencao
Stew the remedy in water to make a decoction. Take it to treat dysuria (24). Burn the remedy into ashes, and administer the ashes to treat incontinence of urine. –from Da Ming Rihua Bencao (25).
(many more remedies and prescriptions are given)

Xi; (Rhinoceros)
..................
Li Shizhen says: The rhinoceros is found in Xifan (Western foreign countries) and in....
The best way to administer the rhinoceros horn from the Xifan region is to grind the fresh remedy against a stone, and take it directly. If it is going to be used in a medicinal decoction or powder, chop the remedy into scraps and add it to the preparation. ...................
It is good for dispersing invading Wind toxins to the heart involving restlessness, fever and congestion. It stops toxic dysentery accompanied by a bloody discharge, and treats infantile measles, convulsions and epilepsy due to invading wind and heat. –from Haiyao Bencao (26).

Bao (Leopard)
..............
There is also a gold-coin-leopard in the western regions, which has design like gold coins.

ShuShu (Sorghum) (Sorghum originated in Africa)
....................
Li Shizhen says: Shushu was not very common in the past. But now it is found everywhere in the north. The book Guang Ya (29): Diliang is merely Muji (barley). This is something in the same category of Shu and Ji. It is as tall as a reed. As it was first discovered is Sichuan (30)(Shu), so it is called Shushu

Ku Chin Chu (31) by Ts’ui Pao. In which is stated: Some kinds of ebony, under the name “raven wood” were imported into China by Persian argonies as early as the forth century. The shu shu (sorghum) is fit for poor land. In the spring months the seed is broadcasted In the autumn months it is harvested. The stalks are ten feet or more tall and of a form similar to the lu and ti reeds, but the culms are solid. The leaves are also like those of the lu reeds. The panicles are as large as a broom. The grains are as large as pepper seeds and of dark red color , while the hulled grain is of a hard nature, solid, and yellow and red-colored. There are two kinds. The glutinous variety can be mixed with glutinous rice and glutinous millet and fermented into wine, and may also be used for making cakes.  The non-glutinous can be used to make cakes or dumplings and may be boiled into a gruel.  It can be used to relieve hunger in time of famine and can be used to nourish the domestic animals.  The tips of the stalks can be used to make brooms; the stalks can be woven into door-screens and matting, plaited into wattles and used as fuel in cooking. It is of the greatest benefit to the people. Those who use this grain in their sacrificial ceremonies in the place of chi are wrong. The grain hulls when steeped in water color it red, and this liquid can be used to redden wine.
Note: Sorghum is a plant of African origin who slowly made its way to China.

Anxixiang (Benzoin)(12)
.................
Li Xun (32) says: It is produced  in Persia and Nanhai (33). It is a kind of resin. It looks like Taojiao/resina persicae/peach resin. Collect the drug in autumn.
Zhang Yuxi (34): The book Youyang Zazu by Duan Chengshi: The tree of Anxixiang (12) grows in Persia. It is called Bixieshu (tree preventing attacks of vicious agents) It is 20 to 30 chi (3) tall…………
It is good for treating sexual dreams in women. Make pills with Xunhuang/realgar/red orpiment. Burn the thing and fumigate the Dantian (the elixir field in the pubic region) This will stop the ailment.
Xiao Bing (35) says: Burn the drug to keep evils and devils away and invite the immortals.

Suhexiang (Storax)
................
Su Gong (36) says: Now the drug is shipped from the Western Regions and Kunlun. It is purple and red It looks like genuine purple Tanxiang/lignum Santali albi/sandalwood. It is solid and aromatic and as heavy as stone. After burning, white ash is left. Such kind of drug is of top quality. ...........
The book Xiang Pu (37) by Ye Tinggui: Oil of Suhexiang is produced in Dashi (Arabs). Its quality and taste are similar to Duruxiang..........
It prevents attacks of vicious agents, kills evils and devils, and treats pyrexial malaria. Gudu, epilepsy and convulsion with lockjaw and opisthotonos. It kills three worms, disperses invading pathogenic factors and keeps one free from nightmares with crying. Long term use of the drug makes one more intelligent, feel happy and vigorous and able to enjoy a long live.

(1) Xingcha Shenglan by Fei Xin: see my webpage Fei-Hsin (1436)

(2) Zhubu-guo: Giumbo: Djoubb (El Jub): a dug, non-masoned waterhole (according to Marcel Devic p70); the name still exists in the name of the river Jubba. Must have been close to present day Kismayo. Is mostly mentioned by Chinese authors: Yakut (1220); Al-Dimashqi (1325); Fei-Hsin (1436) has Giumbo; Xuanzong Shih-lu (1438) has Zhu-bu; Zhang, Tingyu: Ming Shi (1739); Luo Maodeng (1597); Taizong Shi lu (1430). Some authors say the channel mentioned by al Masudi (916) is the Jubba: “…Zinj were the only ones who had crossed a tributary of the Nile (the Jubb) which flowed into a bay or canal, which in turn opened into the Indian Ocean…”.

(3) Chi: Its present value is standardized at around one-third metre.

(4) Chen Cangqi: [681–757] 陈藏器  (Chen Zangqi); Tang medical officer and official.

(5) Wang Ji: (1463–1539) was a Ming physician who published an early medical casebook.

(6) liang: traditional Chinese weight unit, about 37.8 grams, the same as a tael.

(7) Baiyaojian : the medicinal part is the lump made by fermentation of gallnut and tea.

(8) Ma Zhi : Taoist doctor during the Song dynasty; wrote his Bencao in 974.

(9) Su Song : (1020-1101) medical book correction official of Renzong Emperor (Northern Song).

(10) Hainan: island in the south of China.

(11) Guangzhou: formerly Canton; A city of southern China on the Pearl River Delta near the South China Sea.

(12) Anxixiang : Benzoin ; is the dried resin collected from the trunk of Styrax tonkinensis.

(13) Su Piao: wrote Nan-cou-ki before fifth century AD (not extant).

(14) blood stasis: the blood is not flowing or circulating as optimally as it could.

(15) Fistula: an abnormal connection between two body parts.

(16) Hematochezia: the passage of fresh blood per anus.

(17) cow bezoar: They are gallstones.

(18) toad spittle; Toad is a common name for certain frogs. Its spittle had medical uses.

(19) Chenchou in Hunan: Chenzhou is a prefecture-level city located in the south of Hunan province, China.

(20) book Yitong Zhi: Da-Ming yitong zhi by Li Xian and Peng Shi (1416-1475). It describes the 150 prefectures of the empire and the 13 capital districts.

(21) book Nanyue Zhi: is a history of south China, approx. today's province of Guangdong. It was written by Shen Huaiyuan (mid-5th cent.).

(22) Zhen  Quan: was a 7th-century Chinese physician who, in 643, noted the symptoms of thirst and the sweetness of urine of diabetics.

(23) book Zhenla fengtu Ji: is an account on the ancient kingdom of Cambodia from the late 13th century written by Zhou Daguan (1266-?).

(24) dysuria: you feel pain or a burning sensation when you pee (urinate).

(25) Da Ming Rihua Bencao: author unclear; from Kaibao period (968 – 977) of the Northern Song Dynasty.

(26) Haiyao Bencao: Li Xun (fl. 923) (Bencao of overseas drugs; India and Persia).

(27) Kou Zongshi: (early 12th cent.), who was a small official in the prefecture of Lizhou. The book is 20-juan long and was finished in 1116.

(28) Dawan: nomadic area in Central Asia.

(29) book Guang Ya: was an early 3rd-century CE Chinese dictionary, edited by Zhang Yi.

(30) Sichuan: Sichuan is a southwestern Chinese province that contains a stretch of Asia’s longest river, the Yangtze.

(31) Ku Chin Chu by Ts’ui Pao: + 4th - century dictionary (Commentaries on Antiquity and Today) by Tshui Pao.

(32) Li Xun: (fl. 923) (Bencao of overseas drugs; India and Persia).

(33) Nanhai: the Chinese name for the South China Sea Islands.

(34) Zhang Yuxi: The book Youyang Zazu by Duan Chengshi.

(35) Xiao Bing: Maybe Sisheng bencao (Bencao in four tones) by Xiao Bing (Tang Dynasty).

(36) Su Gong: Xinxiu bencao (Newly revised bencao) in 659.

(37) Xiang Pu by Ye Tinggui: maybe Ming xiang pu / Ye Tinggui zhuan (1115).