气味甘，微温，无毒，主治下痢脓血，补中，续绝伤金疮，益气，不饥耐老。
（蜜蜡乃蜜脾底也，取蜜后将底炼过，滤入水中候凝，取之即成蜡矣。今人谓之黄蜡，
以其
生自蜜中，故名蜜蜡。黄蜜之底，其色则黄，白蜜之底，其色则白，但黄者多，而白者少，
故又名黄蜡。汪机《本草会编》∶一种虫白蜡，乃是小虫，所作其虫食冬青树汁，叶涎粘嫩
茎上，化为白脂，至秋刮取，以水煮溶，滤置冷水中，则凝聚成块，此虫白蜡也，与蜜蜡
之白者不同。）
蜂采花心，酿成蜜蜡，蜜味甘，蜡味淡，禀阳明太阴土金之气，故主补中益气。蜜蜡味
淡，
今日甘者，淡附于甘也。主治下痢脓血，补中，言蜜蜡得阳明中土之气，治下痢脓血，以其
能补中也。续绝伤金疮，益气，言蜜蜡得太阴金精之气，续金疮之绝伤，以其能益气也。补
中益气，故不饥耐老。
气味苦，微寒，无毒。主治腹中寒热积聚，女子产乳余疾，补肾气，令人明目。
（玄参近道处处有之，二月生苗，七月开花，八月结子黑色，其根一株五七枚，生时青
白有腥气，曝干铺地下，久则黑也。）
玄乃水天之色，参者参也，根实皆黑。气味苦寒，禀少阳寒水之精，上通于肺，故微有
腥气
。主治腹中寒热积聚者，启肾精之气，上交于肺，则水天一气，上下环转，而腹中之寒热积
聚自散矣。女子产乳余疾者，生产则肾脏内虚，乳子则中焦不足，虽有余疾，必补肾和中。
玄参滋肾脏之精，助中焦之汁，故可治也。又曰补肾气，令人明目者，言玄参补肾气，不但
治产乳余疾，且又令人明目也。中品治病，则无久服矣，余俱仿此。
[Beeswax]
Taste: Sweet. Nature: Slightly warm. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Dysentery with pus and blood (dysentery with pus and blood), tonifying the Middle Jiao (tonifying the spleen and stomach), healing severe injuries and metallic wounds (healing severe trauma and metal-induced wounds), benefiting Qi, resisting hunger, and delaying aging.
(Beeswax is the bottom of the honeycomb. After harvesting honey, the bottom is refined, filtered into water to cool and solidify, and then removed to form wax. It is now called yellow wax because it originates from honey, hence the name "honey wax." The bottom of a hive producing yellow honey is yellow in color; the bottom of a hive producing white honey is white. Since yellow ones are more common than white ones, it is also called yellow wax. Wang Ji in *Bencao Huibian* states: There is a type of insect-produced white wax, made by small insects. These insects feed on the sap of the *Ilex cornuta* tree; their saliva adheres to tender stems, transforming into white fat. In autumn, it is scraped off, boiled in water until melted, filtered, and placed in cold water to coagulate into blocks. This is insect white wax, which differs from the white variety of beeswax.)
Bees gather flower hearts to brew honey and wax. Honey tastes sweet, while wax tastes bland. It inherits the Qi of the Yangming Stomach and Taiyin Spleen (Earth and Metal elements), thus primarily tonifying the Middle Jiao and benefiting Qi. Although wax tastes bland, it is described as sweet here because blandness attaches to sweetness. Its indication for dysentery with pus and blood and tonifying the Middle Jiao indicates that beeswax derives from the Yangming Central Earth Qi; it treats dysentery with pus and blood by tonifying central Qi. Healing severe injuries and metallic wounds, and benefiting Qi, indicates that beeswax inherits the Jing (essence) of the Taiyin Lung (Metal element); it heals severed metallic wounds by benefiting Lung Qi. Because it tonifies the Middle Jiao and benefits Qi, it enables resistance to hunger and delays aging.
[Scrophulariae Radix / Xuan Shen]
Taste: Bitter. Nature: Slightly cold. Toxicity: Non-toxic. Indications: Cold and heat accumulations in the abdomen, residual diseases in women after childbirth or during lactation, tonifying Kidney Qi, and improving vision.
(Xuan Shen grows everywhere along the roadsides. Sprouts appear in February, flowers bloom in July, and black seeds form in August. Each root cluster has five to seven roots. When fresh, they are greenish-white with a fishy odor. When sun-dried and spread on the ground, they turn black over time.)
"Xuan" refers to the color of deep water and sky; "Shen" implies participation or connection. Both the root and fruit are black. With a bitter and cold taste, it inherits the essence of Shaoyang Cold Water. It connects upward to the Lung, hence its slight fishy odor. For treating cold and heat accumulations in the abdomen, it stimulates the Kidney Essence Qi to ascend to the Lung. This creates a unity of Water and Sky, allowing circulation between upper and lower parts, thereby dispersing cold and heat accumulations in the abdomen. For treating residual diseases in women after childbirth or during lactation: Childbirth causes internal deficiency of the Kidney, and lactation causes insufficiency of the Middle Jiao. Even if there are residual ailments, one must tonify the Kidney and harmonize the Middle Jiao. Xuan Shen nourishes Kidney Essence and assists Middle Jiao fluids, thus effective. Furthermore, "tonifying Kidney Qi and improving vision" means that Xuan Shen tonifies Kidney Qi not only to treat postpartum and lactational residual diseases but also to enhance eyesight. Medicines in the Middle Category treat diseases and should not be taken long-term; other entries follow this principle.