原文

琥珀

琥珀，来自云南者多血珀，来自洋舶者多金珀、蜜蜡、水珀，广人雕琢为器物特工，余则以作丸药之用。琥珀者，龙阳而虎阴，龙为魂而虎为魄。盖得松液之阴精，因己土而结者也。梁氏云：凡松老则其中所附之金精甚坚，坚则重而下注，潜伏于根节之中。夏月时太阳气盛，松以金水之精，受大火之蒸炙，于是通体融液，肤理有疏，皆渗泄而遗漏。而是时火在天上，地下之气寒而敛。以地下寒敛之气，而受松热液之精，二者相抱，遂凝而为琥珀。久在土中，愈坚而愈明莹。其内之光亮者精也，如金色者血也。故服琥珀，则宁心魄而利小遗，血经之药阴也。服茯苓，则安神魂而补脾胃，气经之药阳也，物以类各相从也。广中抱龙丸为天下所贵，以其琥珀之真也。其以油煮蜜蜡为金珀，吸莞草易，但不香。

白话

中文

琥珀，从云南来的多是血珀，从外国商船（洋舶）来的多是金珀、蜜蜡（不透明的琥珀）和水珀（透明度高的琥珀）。广东人在雕琢琥珀制作器物方面手艺特别精湛，其余的琥珀则用来制作中药丸剂。说到琥珀，（古人认为）龙属阳，虎属阴；龙代表“魂”（精神性的灵魂），虎代表“魄”（身体性的灵魂）。琥珀大概是获得了松树汁液中的阴性精华，依靠“己土”（某种特定的土元素或环境）凝结而成的。梁氏（可能是某位学者或医家）说：凡是松树老了，它内部所依附的“金精”（可能指松脂中的某种坚硬成分或金元素精华）就非常坚硬，坚硬就重而向下流注，潜藏在树根和节疤之中。夏季时太阳的阳气旺盛，松树凭借其“金水之精”（可能指松脂的某种属性或成分），受到烈日（大火）的蒸烤，于是整个（树脂）融化成液体，（树皮）纹理变得疏松，（树脂）都渗透泄漏出来。而这个时候，火（阳热）在天上，地下的气是寒冷而收敛的。凭借地下寒冷收敛之气，接受了松树炽热的液态精华，这两者相互结合，于是就凝结成了琥珀。在土中埋藏久了，就越发坚硬，越发明亮莹澈。其中内部光亮的部分是它的精华（精），像金色的部分是它的血液（血）。所以服用琥珀，能够安宁心神和“魄”，并且有助于排尿（利小遗），是作用于血脉的阴性药物。而服用茯苓，则能安定精神和“魂”，补益脾胃，是作用于气脉的阳性药物。万物都依据各自的类别相互归属和作用。广东产的“抱龙丸”被天下人所珍视，就是因为它所用的琥珀是真品。至于那些用油煮蜜蜡来冒充金珀的，虽然（因为有静电）容易吸附莞草（一种测试方法），但没有天然琥珀的香味。

英文

Amber (Hupo): That which comes from Yunnan is mostly blood amber. That which comes from foreign ships (Yangbo) is mostly golden amber, beeswax amber (Milà - opaque amber), and water amber (Shuipo - highly transparent amber). Cantonese people are exceptionally skilled in carving amber into artifacts; the remainder is used for making medicinal pills. Regarding amber, (the ancients believed) the dragon corresponds to Yang, and the tiger to Yin; the dragon represents the Hun (ethereal soul), and the tiger represents the Po (corporeal soul). It is likely formed by obtaining the Yin essence from pine resin and solidifying due to 'Ji earth' (a specific earth element or environment). Mr. Liang (possibly a scholar or physician) stated: When a pine tree ages, the 'metal essence' (Jinjing - perhaps a hard component in resin or the essence of the metal element) attached within it becomes very hard. Being hard, it becomes heavy and flows downward, hiding within the roots and knots. In summer, when the sun's Yang Qi is abundant, the pine, with its 'essence of metal and water' (Jinshui zhi jing - perhaps referring to properties or components of the resin), is steamed and roasted by the great fire (the sun). Consequently, the entire (resin) melts into liquid, the (bark's) texture loosens, and it all seeps and leaks out. At this time, fire (Yang heat) is in the heavens, while the Qi beneath the earth is cold and contracting. By means of the cold, contracting Qi of the earth receiving the essence of the hot pine liquid, these two combine and thus condense into amber. After being buried in the earth for a long time, it becomes harder and brighter/clearer. The bright part within is its essence (Jing); the part resembling gold is its blood (Xue). Therefore, ingesting amber can calm the heart and the Po-soul, and aid urination (Li xiaoyi); it is a Yin medicine acting on the blood channels. Ingesting Poria (Fuling), however, calms the spirit and the Hun-soul and tonifies the spleen and stomach; it is a Yang medicine acting on the Qi channels. All things align with their respective categories. The 'Baolong Pill' (抱龙丸) produced in Guangdong is prized throughout the empire because the amber used in it is genuine. As for those who boil beeswax amber (Milà) in oil to imitate golden amber, although it easily attracts rush stems (Wancao - a test for static electricity), it lacks the fragrance of natural amber.

文化解读/分析

本条目不仅记录了清初广东地区琥珀的来源、分类、加工和使用，更深入地探讨了其在中医理论、传统宇宙观和辨伪实践中的地位：

1. 贸易与工艺中心：指出来自云南（陆路）和海外（海路）的不同琥珀种类汇集于广东，并特别强调广东工匠在琥珀雕刻方面的高超技艺（“特工”），显示广东作为琥珀贸易集散地和加工中心的角色。
2. 药用价值与中医理论：详细阐述了琥珀的药用功能（宁心魄、利小遗），并将其纳入中医阴阳理论体系，定义为作用于“血经”的“阴”药。通过与茯苓（安神魂、补脾胃、属阳、作用于“气经”）的对比，清晰地展示了中医辨证用药的思维方式，以及“魂”（精神）与“魄”（身体/心神）的区别。广东名药“抱龙丸”因使用真琥珀而名贵，也反映了琥珀在医药领域的重要性。
3. 传统自然哲学与成因解释：引用“梁氏”的说法，用阴阳五行、天地之气、松树精华（金精、金水之精）等传统概念来解释琥珀的形成过程（松脂受日晒融化，遇地下寒气凝结）。这种解释融合了观察（松脂、埋藏）与当时的自然哲学（阴阳、气、五行），体现了前现代科学对自然现象的认知模式。将琥珀与龙虎、魂魄相联系，赋予其更深层次的象征意义。
4. 辨伪知识与市场实践：记录了用油煮蜜蜡伪造金珀的方法，并指出了鉴别方法——利用静电吸附莞草（符合琥珀摩擦生电的物理特性）以及缺乏天然香味。这反映了琥珀作为贵重商品在市场流通中存在作伪现象，以及时人积累的辨别真伪的经验知识。

关键词

琥珀, 血珀, 金珀, 蜜蜡, 水珀, 广东, 云南, 洋舶, 贸易, 雕刻, 工艺, 中药, 抱龙丸, 宁心, 安神, 利尿, 阴阳, 魂魄, 茯苓, 松脂, 形成理论, 梁氏, 辨伪, 莞草, 静电, 广东新语, 屈大均