Long gu

Long gu
lónggǔ written in seal script
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese龍骨
Simplified Chinese龙骨
Literal meaningdragon bones
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinlónggǔ
Hakka
Romanizationliùng-kut
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpinglung4gwat1
Middle Chinese
Middle Chineseljowng kwot
Old Chinese
Zhengzhang/*b·roŋ kuːd/
Japanese name
Kanji竜骨
Kanaりゅうこつ
Transcriptions
Romanizationryū kotsu
Latin name
Latinos draconis

Long gu are remains of ancient life (such as fossils) prescribed for a variety of ailments in Chinese medicine and herbalism. They were historically believed, and are traditionally considered, to be the remains of dragons.[1][2]

  1. ^ Boaz, Ciochon & Ciochon 2004, p. 4.
  2. ^ Sterckx 2008, pp. 357–394.