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(Sourced from the Song Dynasty *Jiayou Bencao*)

[Names] Li Shizhen stated: The character "Jing" (Well) resembles the shape of a well, and the character "Quan" (Spring) resembles the form of water flowing out of a cave.

[Collected Explanations] Su Song stated: Newly drawn well water is beneficial for treating diseases. The water drawn first at dawn is called "Jinghua Water" (Well Flower Water), whose efficacy is extremely broad and differs from other waters. Generally, well water sourced from distant underground veins is of the highest quality; water seeping from nearby rivers or lakes is of secondary quality; water in cities mixed with sewage from ditches becomes saline and alkaline. Such water must be boiled, allowed to settle for one shichen (two hours), and used only after impurities have precipitated and clarified. Otherwise, its taste and odor are foul, making it unsuitable for medicine, food, tea, or wine. If well water becomes turbid after rain, ground peach kernels and apricot kernels should be added to clarify it.

Li Shizhen stated: Wells lined with black lead can clear internal heat and dissipate nodules; drinking from them prevents illness. Adding cinnabar (Zhusha) to the well is said to promote longevity. According to Ma Zhiji's *Shuijie* (Analysis of Water): Previously, he visited the Grand Historian at Lingtai and observed a clepsydra (water clock). The Historian summoned the water keeper, saying, "This water has circulated three times. As the water becomes smoother, the leakage accelerates, causing timing errors. New water must be replaced." I thereby realized: Although all waters in the world serve the same purpose in extinguishing fire and moistening dryness, their nature changes according to the geology, and their quality shifts according to what they contact. Thus, water in the Shu region makes brocade bright when washing it; water in Ji Yuan improves the quality of paper pulp; the pool in Nanyang nourishes chrysanthemums, leading to longevity among its people; streams in Liaodong connect to ginseng habitats, resulting in thick hair among its inhabitants. Mountains in Jin produce alum stone, and spring water there can cure carbuncles; hills in Rong contain sulfur, and hot springs there can bathe patients with leprosy. Yangtze water is suitable for brewing wine; Huai vegetables are suitable for fermenting liao wine; Cangzhou water can produce salt; A Well water can make gelatin. Dirty water removes grime; bitter water fertilizes fields. Goiters dissolve in waves containing kelp; phlegm breaks down in the extract of Pinellia ternata (Banxia). Swallowing ice water stops cholera; drinking running water unblocks urinary retention. Washing eyes with snow water reduces redness; bathing skin with salt water dries sores. Vegetables become pickles; iron rusts into powder; yeast turns into wine; grains ferment into vinegar. There are thousands of variations, which words cannot fully describe. Even though well water shares a common source, it still has multiple names, let alone other water sources. Pouring water back is called "Reverse Flow"; water that flows out but hasn't fully opened is called "Rootless Water"; water drawn freshly at any time is called "Newly Drawn Water"; water drawn first at dawn is called "Jinghua Water". The water from a single well has different functions. When cooking or decocting herbs to exert medicinal effects, how can we neglect selecting the appropriate water? In the past, a patient suffered from difficulty urinating, and no one could cure him. Zhang Zihe changed the water source to rapid currents from a long river, decocted the previous prescription, and after one drink, the patient urinated immediately. This aligns perfectly with the principle in *Ling Shu Jing* (Spiritual Pivot) regarding the use of "Thousand-Li Running Water" for Banxia Decoction to treat insomnia. Later practitioners using water should adopt Zhang Zihe's method as the standard. Therefore, I composed the essay *Shuijie*.