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Raw soybeans come in two varieties: black and white. The white variety is not used, while the black variety is used in medicine. Among them, those that are tight and small are considered "male" beans and are especially suitable for medicinal use. They originate from Earth Qi, and their black color corresponds to Water, thus having a sweet, neutral, and non-toxic nature. "Neutral" implies a cooling property, making them grains belonging to the Kidney organ system. Raw consumption yields a cooling effect, roasted consumption yields a warming effect, and boiled consumption yields an extremely cold effect. Their sweet and neutral nature can invigorate blood, resolve toxicity, dispel wind, clear heat, direct Qi downward, and promote urination. Therefore, they are indicated for topical application on carbuncles and swellings to relieve pain, regulating Middle Jiao Qi, unblocking Guan Mai (Gate Pulse), counteracting the toxicity of mineral drugs, killing "ghost" toxins, Aconite (Fuzi) toxicity, clearing heat-bi in the stomach, treating Shangzhong Linlu (dysuria or hematuria associated with injury), expelling stasis, driving out edema, dispersing abdominal distension and internal cold, eliminating five-Zang accumulations, resolving grain stagnation, and treating warm diseases in cattle and horses. If decocted with Licorice Root (Gancao) and drunk, it removes all heat toxins and wind toxins causing Hong Kong Foot (tinea pedis). If children consume roasted beans together with pork, it will inevitably cause Qi stagnation leading to death; this occurs in eight or nine out of ten cases, but there is no harm after the age of ten. Ricinus communis seed (Bibimaizi): if one eats roasted beans and accidentally consumes ricinus communis seed, it causes fatal bloating. Those taking Magnolia Bark (Houpo) must also avoid it, as beans easily move Qi. Bian Que's Formula: San Dou Yin (Three Bean Decoction) treats epidemic variola (smallpox); pre-administering this decoction helps disperse and resolve, so even if heat toxins erupt, they will be fewer. The formula consists of 1 sheng each of Black Soybean (Heidoudou), Adzuki Bean (Chixiaodou), and Mung Bean (Lvdou), and 2 liang of Licorice Root tip (Gancao Jie). Boil in 8 sheng of water until very hot, then swallow the beans and drink the juice at will, stopping after seven days. San Dou Gao (Three Bean Paste) is effective for early-stage carbuncle toxins after smallpox. It is made by mixing equal parts of Mung Bean, Adzuki Bean, and Black Soybean, drying them, grinding them into fine powder, and applying with vinegar mixed as a wash. Combined with Vitex Fruit (Manjingzi), Smilax Glabra Rhizome (Tufuling), Honeysuckle Flower (Jinyinhua), Chrysanthemum Flower (Ganhualju), Scrophularia Root (Xuanshen), Ligusticum Wallichii Rhizome (Chuanxiong), Gastrodia Elata Rhizome (Tianma), Sprouted Tea (Yacha), Schizonepeta Spike (Jingjie), and Mume Fruit (Wumei), it treats hemi-cephalic wind-pain with miraculous efficacy.

Dan Dou Chi (Lightly Fermented Soybean), which can be made from various beans, uses only Black Soybean for medicine, divided into salty and light (unsalted) types. Only the light variety from Jiangxi is therapeutic. Through steaming and sun-drying, it acquires a bitter taste and warm temperature, and is non-toxic. Bitterness induces vomiting, thus treating irritability, fullness, and oppression, and heat stagnation in the chest, which cannot be cleared without dispersing agents. Warmth induces sweating, thus treating headache and fever from Cold Damage (Shanghan), and toxic miasmas, which cannot be resolved without opening the interstices (Couli). It also directs Qi downward, regulates the middle, and dispels cold, thus treating deficiency-wasting, panting, cold pain in both legs, acute dysentery with abdominal pain, and warding off epidemics.

The black and white varieties differ; only black ones are used medicinally. Sizes vary; small grains are required for decoctions. Black Soybean treats swelling from water-dampness and blood stasis, clears stomach-heat dysuria and hematochezia, disperses five-Zang accumulations and internal cold, relieves bi-syndrome and swelling, reduces distension and aids digestion, and resolves toxicity from all foods, minerals, arsenic, Realgar (Xionghuang), Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi), and Croton Seed (Badou). Crushed raw, it reduces swelling and toxins. Roasted until black and smoking, then thrown into wine while hot, it forms the ancient formula Dou Lin Jiu (Bean-Dripping Wine), also known as Zi Jiu, treating wind-bi, paralysis, postpartum wind-stroke with convulsions, and female vulvar swelling (wrapped in cotton for insertion). Its color corresponds to Gui Water (Kidney/Water element); when boiled with salt, it greatly tonifies the Kidney and benefits Yang. Another variety, small black soybeans, is especially good. White beans tonify the five Zang organs, warm the intestines and stomach, benefit Qi, regulate the middle, harmonize meridians, and when ground into tofu, widen the middle, direct Qi downward, remove turbid Qi from the large intestine, harmonize spleen and stomach, clear stomach-fire, and reduce distension. They clear heat and dissipate blood stasis, but being cold, they may disturb healthy Qi; eating radishes can mitigate this. Made into bean paste, applied medicinally for wind-xuan (itchy skin lesions), it is most effective for killing parasites. Cooked beans eaten in excess by infants cause Qi stagnation and suffocation of the throat. Varieties have different green/yellow spots, but their effects are similar. Dou Chi should be unsalted and fresh for medicinal efficacy. It resolves miasmas, treats Cold Damage, combined with Scallion White (Congbai) disperses cold-heat headaches, and assists Gardenia Fruit (Zhizi) in clearing deficiency-irritability and restlessness. For severe cold feet and pain, steeping in strong wine is helpful; for bloody dysentery pain, decocting with Shallot Bulb (Xiebai) is common. It also calms the fetus; gynecologists should know this. However, it is contraindicated in Cold Damage directly invading the Three Yin channels or transmitting to Yin channels, and in cases of Jie Xiong (chest binding) with irritability where purgation is preferred over sweating.

Note: After steaming, beans can ascend and disperse. With Scallion, they induce sweating; with Salt, they stop vomiting; with Wine, they treat wind; with Shallot, they treat dysentery; with Garlic, they stop bleeding. Cooked beans can also stop sweating and are important medicines. Method for making Dou Chi: Take 1 sheng of Black Soybeans, soak overnight in water in June, steam until cooked, spread on reed mats, cover with mugwort when slightly warm for 5-6 days until covered with yellow mold (not too much), take out, winnow and clean, mix with appropriate amount of water, pack tightly in jars, cover with mulberry leaves to a depth of 3 cun, seal with mud, take out and sun-dry for half a day, return to jar. Repeat this process seven times, then steam and dry again.

Main Indications of Various Beans (Combined Reference for Smallpox/Rash): Raw Soybeans clear stomach-heat and resolve various toxins. Black Soybeans resolve toxicity, harmonize other herbs, and promote urination; usable regardless of deficiency/excess or cold/heat. Raw Tofu treats smallpox that fails to erupt. It strongly attacks pus and resolves toxicity; if local medicines are unavailable, boiling and eating it is excellent. Thus, it is effective for treating smallpox toxins. Yellow Soybeans can promote the eruption of smallpox toxins; the hulls burned to ash and powdered are good for sprinkling on rashes/smallpox. For smallpox wind-xuan, wash with decoction of bean hulls. Dou Chi should be new for best results; for rash eruptions, it releases the exterior and muscle layer, wards off evil, and relieves irritability.