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(Recorded in the Lower Grade of *Bencao Mingyi Bie Lu*)
[Flavor and Nature] Salty, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats alternating chills and fever, headache, and warm qi disorders. Urine from a healthy young boy is particularly effective.
[Examination] It is said: Select a healthy and clean young boy, have him drink several bowls of rice water first to expel turbid impurities, wait until the urine is clear and odorless before collecting it. Self-urination is also acceptable.
[ ] It is said: When fluids enter the stomach, their essence floats and overflows, moving upward to transport to the Spleen; the Spleen's Qi scatters the essence, sending it upward to return to the Lung; it regulates the water passages, transporting downward to the Bladder. The Bladder is the official of the provincial capital, where body fluids are stored; only through Qi transformation can they be excreted. Although it belongs to waste products, it can still trace back to its original source, benefiting what is naturally lacking. One must select a young boy with balanced Yin and well-preserved Yang to obtain urine that is definitely clear and tranquil; otherwise, it will fail to transform into a cool ground, but instead become a hot brain field.

(Recorded in the Lower Grade of *Bencao Mingyi Bie Lu*)
[Flavor and Nature] Sour, warm, non-toxic.
[Indications] Primarily treats damp-bi (dampness obstruction), hongjiao (foot disease/beriberi), severe vomiting and diarrhea from Huoluan (cholera-like syndrome), and unceasing muscle cramps (zhuanjin).
[Examination] It is said: Papaya (*Chaenomelis Fructus*) grows everywhere, those from Xiluo are the best, those from Xuancheng are also good, and those from Lanting in Shanyin are particularly abundant. They can be planted, grafted, layered, or propagated by branch pressing; they are among the easiest woody plants to grow. Their shape resembles *nai* fruit, but the wood is extremely hard. *Guangzhi* states: "A one-foot branch has one hundred and twenty nodes, which can be used for counting." The leaves are dense and glossy, blooming deep red at the end of spring. In summer, fruits hang like small melons with a nose-like protrusion, which is the flower scar, not the navel or stem attachment. The skin is yellow-red and thin, resembling applied powder, fragrant, loose, moist, sweet and sour without astringency. The seeds inside the fruit, pointing inward with a sharp tip and square face, are papaya (*Chaenomelis Fructus*). Those that are round and small, with a woody, sour, and astringent taste, are *mutao*. Larger than *mutao*, resembling papaya but without a nose, with a thick stem, bitter and astringent taste are *muli*, also called *mulí* or *he yuanzi*. A variety with tiny, slightly elongated capsules and extremely astringent taste is called *manzi*. Another variety with seeds like hemp in the fruit and extremely bitter and astringent taste is called *tufu zi*; consuming it causes red eyes and tendon pain, so it must not be confused. Therefore, people in Xuancheng plant it very carefully. When the fruit just forms, they cut arrowhead-shaped paper flowers and paste them on top. After frost, they harvest them; the patterns look alive, used as local tribute, hence the name "flower papaya". Processing: Do not use iron tools. Use a copper knife to peel off the hard skin and remove seeds, slice and dry. Mix with cow's milk juice, steam from Si hour to Wei hour, until it resembles a paste decoction, then dry and use. Now, merely slicing and drying reduces potency and incompletes flavor. According to *Da Ming Huidian*, Xuancheng annually tributes blackened, worm-eaten papaya to the Imperial Pharmacy. Perhaps this is to take advantage of its aged state lacking fresh woody Qi.
Mr. Miu Zhongchun said: Papaya receives the Qi of spring generation, embodies the transformation of bending and straightening (Wood element), has a sour flavor and warm nature, thin Qi and strong flavor. Descending exceeds ascending, belonging to Yin within Yang.
My ancestors said: Fruit from trees is called *guo*, fruit from herbs is called , papaya belongs to , embodying the complete Qi of both trees and herbs. Its nature specifically targets cracking shells, and true Qi follows it, therefore
[ ] It is said: Papaya is a type of fruit. The melon attached to the root is called . , a small melon. *Shimu* says: "Leaves resemble *nai*, fruit resembles , its branches can be counted, one foot has one hundred and twenty nodes, sour taste, good for treating tendon twisting." Tao Hongjing said: "When suffering from tendon twisting, simply calling the name 'papaya' or drawing the character 'papaya' cures the illness." *Erya Yi* says: "Branches are hard enough to make walking sticks, beneficial for tendons and knees; boiling roots and stems to wash feet/shins can cure jue (cold extremities)." This is akin to thinking of plums to quench thirst, or calling out while washing with papaya to relax tendons; the principle indeed involves mutual resonance, so where the mind directs, Qi communicates. Like magnetism attracting iron, or amber picking up mustard seeds, even if separated by empty space, they still mutually exhale and attract; how much more so for inanimate objects and all sentient beings? The Classic says: "The East generates Wind, Wind generates Wood; Wood generates Sour, Sour generates Liver, Liver generates Tendons." Papaya's nodes compare to tendons; sour flavor enters Liver Wood, reaching the spring rising Qi from below upward. It treats bi-obstruction, descends hongjiao, settles Huoluan, stops tendon twisting; this is the method of treatment based on form and correspondence. The *Yijing* says: Gen represents Mountain, represents fruit ; regarding wood, it is hard and knotty.
(*Erya* names it . Guo Pu says: "Tree fruit like a small melon, sour and edible. Receiving the correct Qi of Wood, thus named . Composed of Lin and Mao, phonetic compound. The melon continuing from the root is also called die. *Erya* says: 'Its continuation is die.' Guo Pu says: 'Continuing from root is shao, shape small is die, also called .' Thus melons near the root are often small, while those near the end become larger.)