Sun Simiao Healing a Tiger
One day, after returning from gathering herbs, Sun Simiao suddenly heard a thunderous roar outside. Looking up, he saw a fierce, spotted tiger rushing toward his house. Sun Simiao was terrified, nearly fainting. He dodged aside, only to see the tiger stop at the door, lying down and groaning loudly with its mouth open.
Sun Simiao watched for a moment and realized: the tiger had no intention of attacking. Judging from its open mouth and groaning, it must have a dental problem. Calmed, he approached the door and peered into the tiger’s mouth. Sure enough, a long bone was lodged in its throat. He quickly grabbed a copper bell he used while traveling as a doctor, slipped it onto his arm, and reached into the tiger’s mouth. With a firm pull, he extracted the bone. The tiger winced, clamping its jaws shut—its teeth accidentally hit the copper bell, narrowly avoiding injuring Sun Simiao’s arm. Henceforth, all doctors who carry bells came to call their instrument "Hu Cheng" (Tiger Support). After removing the bone, the tiger bowed three times before Sun Simiao and walked into the mountains. From then on, whenever Sun Simiao went into the forest to gather herbs, the tiger would accompany him, sometimes even letting Sun Simiao ride on its back.