一名凫茈，一名乌芋，一名地栗
补中，泻热，消食
甘微寒滑。益气安中，开胃消食（饭后宜食之），除胸中实热。治五种噎膈（五膈，忧
膈、恚膈、气膈、热膈、寒膈。噎亦五种，气噎、食噎、劳噎、忧噎、思噎），消渴黄胆，
血证蛊毒（末服辟蛊），能毁铜（汪机曰∶食铜钱，食之则钱化。可见为消坚削积之物，故
能开五膈，消宿食，治误吞铜也）。
俗名菱角，一名芰
泻，解暑，止渴
甘寒。安中消暑，止渴解酒。有两角、三角、四角、老嫩之殊（《武陵记》以三角、四
角者为芰，两角者为菱。菱花随月而转，犹葵花之向日）。
泻暑
甘寒。解暑除烦，利便醒酒，名天生白虎汤（西瓜、甜瓜，皆属生冷，多食伤脾助湿。
《卫生歌》云∶瓜、桃生冷宜少食，免致成疟痢。瓜性寒，曝之尤寒。《稽食赋》云∶
瓜、曝则寒，油煎则冷，物性之异也）。
粳，硬也
补脾清肺
甘凉。得天地中和之气，和胃补中，色白入肺。除烦清热，煮汁止渴（仲景白虎汤、桃
花汤、竹叶石膏汤，并用之以清热、补不足。张文潜《粥记》∶粥能畅胃气，生津液，每晨
空腹食之，所补不细。昂按∶今人终日食粥，不知其妙。迨病中食之，觉与脏腑相宜，迥非
他物之所能及也）。粳，乃稻之总名，有早、中、晚三收。晚者得金气多，性凉，尤能清热
（北粳凉，南粳温，白粳凉，红粳温，新米食之动气）。
陈廪米冲淡可以养胃，煮汁煎药，亦取其调肠胃、利小便、去湿热，除烦渴之功（《集
成》云∶陈米饭扎作团，火 存性，麻油，腻粉调，敷一切恶疮、百药不效者）。
Water Chestnut, also known as Fuzi (Wild Water Caltrop), Wuyu (Black Taro), and Dili (Earth Chestnut).
It tonifies the Middle Jiao, drains heat, and promotes digestion.
Its nature is sweet, slightly cold, and slippery. It benefits Qi, stabilizes the Middle Jiao, opens the appetite, and aids digestion (suitable for consumption after meals); it clears excess heat in the chest.
It treats five types of Yige (dysphagia with regurgitation) syndromes (the five Ge syndromes refer to Youge [Worry Ge], Huige [Resentment Ge], Qige [Qi Stagnation Ge], Rege [Heat Ge], and Hange [Cold Ge]; the five Ye types refer to Qi Ye, Shi Ye [Food Ye], Lao Ye [Labor Fatigue Ye], You Ye, and Si Ye [Pensive Ye]). It also treats Xiaoke (Wasting-Thirst syndrome), Huangdan (Jaundice), blood disorders, and Gu poison (consuming powdered water chestnut can ward off Gu poison). It is even capable of dissolving copper (Wang Ji stated: "If one has swallowed a copper coin, eating water chestnuts will dissolve the coin." This demonstrates that it is an agent that dissipates hardness and reduces accumulation; thus, it can open the five Ge syndromes, eliminate retained food, and treat accidental swallowing of copper objects).
Water Caltrop, commonly known as Lingjiao, also referred to as Ji.
It drains summer-heat, resolves toxicity, and relieves thirst.
Its nature is sweet and cold. It stabilizes the Middle Jiao, dissipates summer-heat, relieves thirst, and resolves alcohol intoxication. Varieties include those with two, three, or four angles, varying in maturity (old vs. tender) (The *Wuling Ji* records that varieties with three or four angles are called Ji, while those with two angles are called Ling. The flowers of Ling turn following the moon, similar to how sunflowers face the sun).
Watermelon.
It drains summer-heat.
Its nature is sweet and cold. It resolves summer-heat, eliminates vexation, promotes urination, and awakens from alcohol intoxication; it is named "Tiansheng Baihu Tang" (Natural White Tiger Decoction). (Watermelons and muskmelons belong to raw and cold substances; excessive consumption damages the Spleen and assists dampness. The *Weisheng Ge* states: "Melons, peaches, and other raw/cold foods should be eaten sparingly to avoid causing malaria or dysentery." Melons are naturally cold, and exposure to the sun makes them even colder. The *Ji Shi Fu* states: "Melons become cold when sun-dried and cold when fried in oil; this is due to differences in their inherent properties").
Jingmi (Indica Rice / Non-glutinous Rice), named for its firm texture.
It tonifies the Spleen and clears Lung heat.
Its nature is sweet and cool. It acquires the neutral Qi of Heaven and Earth, harmonizes the Stomach, tonifies the Middle, and enters the Lungs due to its white color. It eliminates vexation and clears heat; boiling it into juice relieves thirst (Zhang Zhongjing used Jingmi in Baihu Tang [White Tiger Decoction], Taohua Tang [Peach Blossom Decoction], and Zhuye Shigao Tang [Bamboo Leaf and Gypsum Decoction] to clear heat and supplement deficiencies. Zhang Wenqian's *Zhou Ji* [Record of Porridge] states: "Porridge can smooth Stomach Qi and generate body fluids; consuming it every morning on an empty stomach provides significant nourishment." My commentary: People today eat porridge all day without realizing its wonders. Only when ill do they find it suits their Zang-Fu organs perfectly, far surpassing other foods). Jingmi is the general term for rice, harvested early, mid, or late season. Late-harvest rice absorbs more Metal Qi, making its nature cooler and particularly effective at clearing heat (Northern Jingmi is cooling, Southern Jingmi is warming; White Jingmi is cooling, Red Jingmi is warming; fresh rice may move Qi excessively).
Aged rice stored in granaries, with a bland flavor, can nourish the Stomach. Boiling it for decoctions utilizes its functions of regulating the intestines and stomach, promoting urination, removing damp-heat, and eliminating vexation and thirst (The *Jicheng Fang* states: "Tie aged cooked rice into a ball, preserve its nature using fire, then mix with sesame oil and calamine powder to apply to all kinds of severe sores, even those unresponsive to hundred medicines").