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Nature: Sweet and neutral, non-toxic.

[Invention/Commentary] Soybeans are also called Shu (Soybean). Those with yellow color enter the Spleen meridian; their action is purgative rather than tonifying. Those with black color enter the Kidney meridian; within their purgative action lies a tonifying effect. *Shennong Bencao Jing* states that raw soybeans ground and mixed with vinegar applied topically treat carbuncles and swellings; decocted juice ingested kills "ghost toxins" and relieves pain. *Ri Hua Zi Bencao* states they counteract the toxicity of mineral drugs. Li Shizhen said that juice extracted from water-soaked and pounded soybeans resolves the toxicity of alum, realgar, Aconite (Fuzi), She Wang (Aconite derivative), Kansui, Croton seed, Mylabris, and Meloidae beetles, among hundreds of other toxic substances. Ancient prescriptions utilize soybeans in many ways, such as heating them and pouring wine over them. This method treats wind-toxic Hongjiaojiao (Gouty foot/Foot swelling), muscle spasms, postpartum stroke with facial deviation, headache due to wind, and traumatic tetanus; all are suitable for treatment by consuming soybeans cooked until ripe and soaked in wine. Raw yellow soybeans cause diarrhea, while cooked ones cause Qi stagnation, generate phlegm, and trigger coughs; thus, they are generally unsuitable for these conditions. Only when residual toxins after smallpox/variolola erupt into carbuncles should soybeans be charred black, ground into powder, and applied with sesame oil. For swollen ulcers on the back, raw soybeans can be soaked, finely ground with dregs, heated, and applied as a warm compress; replace with fresh hot compresses when cold, frequent application leads to resolution. If one mistakenly ingests poison, raw soybeans are pounded into a paste and administered with water to induce vomiting. For various microbial toxins where vomiting cannot expel them, a concentrated decoction is drunk. Furthermore, to test for internal abscesses or foul-smelling toxin abdominal pain, have the patient chew raw soybeans; if the taste is sweet without nausea, it indicates the true sign of upper body abscess pus or foul-smelling toxin eruption. Chewing raw soybean leaves and applying the pulp externally immediately heals snake or insect bites. White Hyacinth Bean (Bai Biandou) enters the Qi aspect of the Spleen meridian; it harmonizes the middle Jiao and stops vomiting. Combined with Papaya (Mugua), it treats summerheat-induced cholera-like syndrome (*Jinkui Yaolue* notes that those suffering from alternating chills and fever should not eat beans because they obstruct Qi flow. However, if chills and fever persist due to Spleen deficiency and cold, then Hyacinth bean is no longer contraindicated). One variety, purple-black in color, enters the Blood aspect of the Spleen meridian and treats hemorrhage and bloody dysentery; both require charring before use. Hyacinth bean flowers treat dysentery with pus and blood, and leukorrhea (white and red discharge). Leaves treat cholera with vomiting and diarrhea, and muscle spasms following vomiting/diarrhea; take a handful of raw leaves, pound them, add a little vinegar, extract the juice, and ingest for immediate recovery. Fine Black Beans (Heidou), also known as [missing character] dou, commonly called Kedou, enter the Blood aspect of the Kidney meridian. Steamed together with Blue Salt (Qingyan), Eclipta (Hanliancao), and Polygonum multiflorum (Heshouwu), consuming only black beans prevents graying of hair and beard, demonstrating its kidney-tonifying power. Currently, people use it to process Heshouwu to guide it into the Kidney meridian. Charred black beans soaked in wine constitute Doulin Jiu (Bean-dripping Wine), frequently used for headaches and Hongjiaojiao, as it directly reaches the Blood aspect of the Kidney meridian. Da Huang Juan (Soybean Sprouts) are sprouted black soybeans. *Shennong Bencao Jing* says it treats damp-bi with muscle spasms and knee pain, removes stomach Qi knotting and accumulation, benefits Qi, and detoxifies. It is used in *Jinkui Yaolue*'s Shuyu Wan to leverage its ability to disperse damp-heat entering the Spleen and Stomach. Chi Xiaodou (Red Adzuki Bean), specifically the smaller, darker red variety, commonly called Zhu Gan Chi (Pig Liver Red), has a descending nature that unblocks and promotes urination via the Small Intestine. Thus, it promotes diuresis and descends fire; long-term consumption causes dryness. It is used in Guiti San to vent cold-excess in the chest, precisely utilizing its diuretic and heat-clearing properties. Raw powder applied topically treats carbuncles and is a key medicine for Shanghan Fayi (Parotitis). Sprouted combined with Angelica sinensis (Danggui) treats hematochezia and intestinal abscesses, leveraging its ability to dissipate accumulated toxins. Mung Bean (Lvdou) is sweet and cool, detoxifies, brightens the eyes, and resolves toxicity of Aconite, Realgar, and other mineral drugs. It is incompatible with Torreyaspermum (Feizi); mistaken combination harms humans. Mung bean powder treats carbuncles and sores; Neituo Huxin Dan highly praises its efficacy. True powder is made from mung beans; aged powder mixed with honey applies to varicella toxins. For wet, rotting varicella lesions that do not scab, dry dusting with mung bean powder is excellent. Mung bean shells treat corneal opacity arising from varicella. Fava Bean (Candou) is sweet, warm, and cloying/stagnant; those with deficient Middle Qi experience abdominal distension after eating it. *Jishan Tang Fang* records a case where a girl accidentally swallowed a needle; physicians failed to treat her. Someone advised boiling fava beans with Chinese chives (Jiucai); the needle was naturally excreted with stool. This method is also effective for accidentally ingesting gold or silver objects. Pea (Wandou), also called Bidou, tonifies the center and benefits Qi. Ashed and powdered, it treats varicella/rash and black carbuncles. Shenhuangdou originates from Myanmar, resembling locust seeds; recent formulas for preventing smallpox use it, taken orally with clear water ground by Yiyang. Dan Douchi (Fermented Black Soybean), prepared by washing black beans clean, soaking in water during Dog Days overnight, steaming until cooked, spreading to dry, covering with mugwort for three days until yellow, sun-drying, packing tightly into an urn, covering thickly with mulberry leaves, sealing with mud for seven days, taking out, sun-drying again, mixing with wine, returning to the urn—repeating this seven times, then steaming again as before. It primarily treats Shanghan headache, alternating chills/fever with vexation, warm-toxin macules, and miasma/toxic pathogens. As an emetic, it induces sweating. It is also a miraculous drug for treating deficiency-labor wheezing, cold pain in feet/knees, and post-major illness chest vexation. Combined with Gardenia (Zhizi), it treats heart-region vexation (Aonao); combined with Scallion white (Congbai), it treats warm disease headache. Combined with Renzhonghuang, Gardenia, and Waxed Tea, it treats epidemic febrile diseases, deficiency-vexation, and rebellious Qi. Combined with Licorice (Gancao), Balloon Flower (Jiegeng), and Ophiopogon (Weirui), it treats wind-heat dry cough; in all these, Xiangchi (Fragrant Fermented Bean) is the supreme drug. Generally, Guiti vomits cold-excess from the chest, while Douchi vomits vexation caused by deficiency-heat. With Scallion, it induces sweating; with Salt, it induces vomiting; with Wine, it treats wind; with Allium macrostemon (Xie), it treats dysentery; with Garlic (Suan), it stops bleeding; raw usage disperses, roasted usage stops sweating. However, only those manufactured in Jiangxi are suitable for medicinal use. When included in dispersing formulas, aged ones are superior; when included in emetic formulas, fresh ones are better. Soaked in water and juiced, it treats poisoning from accidentally ingesting bird/beast livers; drinking several sheng leads to recovery. Cowpea (Jiangdou) tonifies the Kidney and strengthens the Stomach, resolving Marsdenia toxin (Mangcao du). Sword Bean (Dao Dou) gently tonifies Primordial Yang. Its seeds treat persistent hiccups after illness; charred to retain nature, taken with plain water (2 qian), it stops hiccups, leveraging its power to descend turbid Qi.