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(Fruit and Vegetable Category) When used raw, its bitter and cold nature resolves irritability and heat in the Heart and Lungs.

Bitter Melon (Gongkua) (Primarily enters the Heart, Liver, and Lung meridians). Also known as Jin Lizhi (Jinlizhi). Its varieties vary in length from long to short. Some texts record the use of the long variety; it is suitable to select the green-skinned ones, remove the seeds, and boil them with meat for vegetable consumption. This is because when raw, its nature is cold; when cooked, its nature becomes warm. Utilizing this raw, green, and cold nature, it serves as an agent to clear heat, resolve irritability, and brighten the eyes and heart. Why do some texts record the use of the short variety? It is suitable to wait until it ripens and turns red to consume the seeds. This is because its seeds are bitter and sweet, containing true fire within; utilizing this hot nature, it functions to strengthen Yang and benefit Qi. For this single item, raw and cooked states differ, and cold and hot natures are distinctly opposite. Thus, their applications are also distinct in this manner.

(Fruit and Vegetable Category) Resolves toxicity, promotes urination and bowel movement, unblocks the intestines, and aids coldness.

Yue Gua (Primarily enters the Stomach and Intestine meridians). Also known as Shao Gua. It is named "Yue" because the melon originally grew in the Yue region. It is now also produced in places such as Huzhou. Consuming it offers no benefit to humans; it merely utilizes its sweet taste and cold nature to resolve alcohol toxicity, promote urination, and apply ash from burning to treat sores on the lips/mouth and hot sores on the penis. If consumed in excess, it causes heart pain and abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, weakness of the legs making walking difficult, and can induce disease if eaten after a pandemic/epidemic. Its nature is vaguely similar to that of Hu Gua (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus); both are agents that unblock the intestines and aid coldness. Children especially should not consume it.

( ) Resolves dysentery caused by internal stagnation of summer-heat.

Sweet Melon (Tian Gua) (Primarily enters the Heart and Stomach meridians). It is a product that quenches thirst during the summer months. Its taste is sweet and its nature is cold; it is toxic. Whenever a person suffers from summer-heat internally stagnating, presenting with symptoms of purulent and bloody foul dysentery, unbearable pain, one must soak several Sweet Melons in water and consume them to be cured. If the melon is sun-dried, its cold nature becomes even more severe. Hence, texts state that "sun-dried melon is colder than fresh melon, and fried oil is colder than cold oil," which conveys this meaning. However, those whose Yang Qi is naturally robust should also eat it sparingly. If the Spleen and Stomach are naturally cold, consuming it may lead to malaria, dysentery, jaundice, moving Qi, reverse flow of stomach contents (vomiting/reversal), itching and sores in the genital area, fever, and distension. These toxic effects can be resolved using a small amount of salt crystals and musk mixed with wine. For Hong Kong Foot (Xianggang Jiao - referring to beriberi or podagra characterized by swelling and numbness of the lower legs) and accumulations/packs (Xi Pi), consuming it ensures the illness will never be eradicated. The melon stalk (Gua Di) specifically governs inducing vomiting, which has been detailed in the section on Vomiting and Dispersing. However, melons with two noses and two stalks can cause death. The melon skin can be collected to make soup, or preserved with honey and dried as fruit.