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(Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao*)

[Names] Mihouli (from *Kaibao Bencao*), Tengli (same source).
Li Shizhen said: Its shape resembles a pear, its color resembles a peach, and macaques enjoy eating it, hence these names. People in Fujian call it Yangtao.

[Collection and Explanation] Su Song said: It grows in mountain valleys. The vines grow by attaching to trees; the leaves are round and hairy. The fruit is egg-shaped, with brown skin, becoming sweet and edible only after the frost. The skin can be used to make paper.
Su Song also said: There are many now in the southern mountains of Yongxing Army, Shaanxi. The branches are soft, two or three zhang high, growing mostly by clinging to wood. The fruits rot and ripen in October, pale green in color, extremely sour when raw. The seeds are numerous and fine, colored like mustard seeds. Those on shallow hills near roads remain, while those in deep mountains are mostly eaten by monkeys.

[Properties and Flavor] Sour, sweet, cold, non-toxic.
Chen Cangqi said: Salty, sour, non-toxic. Excessive consumption chills the spleen and stomach, inducing diarrhea.
Su Song said: Those with excess heat should eat it. Too much causes coldness in the viscera and diarrhea.

[Indications] Stops sudden thirst, resolves vexatious heat, suppresses Dan Shi toxicity, treats Shi Lin (Stone Strangury) (*Kaibao Bencao*. Meng Shen said: All are suitable for taking the pulp mixed with honey to make a paste). Regulates the middle and descends Qi, mainly treats Bone Joint Feng (Wind), paralysis and slowness without voluntary movement, long-term white hair, and wild pheasant internal hemorrhoids (Chen Cangqi).

Juice from the Vine
[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, slippery, cold, non-toxic.
[Indications] Heat obstruction causing regurgitation, taken with ginger juice. Also treats Shi Lin (Stone Strangury) (Chen Cangqi).

Branches and Leaves
[Indications] Kills parasites. Boiled juice fed to dogs treats Scabies (*Kaibao Bencao*).

(Pronounced "Zhe", listed as Middle Grade in *Shennong Bencao Jing - Bie Lu*)

[Names] Ganshe (from *Caomu Zhuang*), Shu (pronounced "Zhe").
Li Shizhen said: According to *Yeshi*: Lu Huiqing stated that all grasses grow upright and legitimate, but sugarcane is planted sideways, sprouting from the roots as secondary shoots, hence the character contains "Shu" (庶). Ji Han wrote "Ganshe," meaning its stem is like a bamboo pole. *Lisao* and *Han Shu* both use the character "Zhe," which is interchangeable. The character "Shu" appears in Xu Shen's *Shuowen Jiezi*, likely a phonetic shift of "Zhe."

[Collection and Explanation] Tao Hongjing said: Sugarcane produced in Jiangdong is superior; Luling also has good varieties. In Guangzhou, some varieties grow for several years, reaching the size of bamboo, over one zhang long. Juice is extracted to make sugar, which is very beneficial to humans. There is also Dizhe, with sparse nodes and thin stems, which is also edible.
Su Song said: Produced in Jiangzhe, Min-Guang, Hunan, and Sichuan today, large ones reach about one zhang in height. There are two types: Dizhe has leaves resembling reeds, stems are thin, short, and sparsely jointed, suitable only for raw eating, but can also be boiled into thin sugar; Zhuzhe has thick, long stems, suitable for extracting juice to make sugar, widely produced in Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Jizhou, and Guangzhou. Refined sugar mixed with cow's milk makes lactose sugar, produced only in Sichuan. Merchants from the south selling northward carry more Dizhe and less Zhuzhe.
Meng Shen said: Red sugarcane is called Kunlun Zhe; white sugarcane is called Dizhe. Zhuzhe from Sichuan and Lingnan is best; although available in Jiangdong, it is inferior to Sichuan produce. Lactose sugar made in Kuaiji surpasses that of Sichuan.
Li Shizhen said: Sugarcane is grown in plots, clustering together, depleting soil fertility most severely. Stems resemble bamboo but are solid inside, large ones having a circumference of several inches, six or seven chi long, with dense nodes at the root gradually becoming sparse. Leaves drawn out resemble reed leaves but larger, three to four chi long, luxuriant and drooping. Stems are harvested in August and September, can be kept through spring as fruit. According to Wang Zhuo's *Tangshuang Pu*: Sugarcane has four colors: Du Zhe, i.e., Zhuzhe, with green tender thin skin, extremely rich flavor, specifically used for making crystal sugar; Xi Zhe, making light-colored crystal sugar; [Missing Character] Zhe, also named Wax Zhe, i.e., Dizhe, can also make granulated sugar; Hong Zhe, also named Purple Zhe, i.e., Kunlun Zhe, suitable only for raw eating, not for making sugar. Whenever sugarcane is pressed...

[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, neutral, astringent, non-toxic.
Meng Shen (Da Ming) said: Cold.
Meng Shen said: Consumed with wine and food, generates phlegm.
Ri Huazi (Rui) said: Excessive consumption induces deficiency heat and triggers epistaxis.

[Indications] Descends Qi and harmonizes the middle, assists Spleen Qi, promotes bowel movements (*Bie Lu*). Benefits large and small intestines, resolves phlegm and stops thirst, removes vexatious heat from chest and heart, resolves alcohol toxicity.

[Elucidation] Li Shizhen said: Sugarcane is the fruit of the Spleen. Its juice is sweet and cold, capable of draining fire-heat, which aligns with the meaning in *Suwen* of "sweet-warm resolving great heat." When refined into sugar, it becomes sweet-warm and aids damp-heat, known as "accumulated warmth becomes heat." Sugarcane juice for thirst and hangovers has been praised since ancient times. Thus, *Han Shu · Jiao Si Ge* says: "Fine wines spread with orchids, grand vessels of Zhe juice dispel morning hangovers." Tang Dynasty Wang Wei's *Cherry Poem* says: "After full eating, no need to worry about internal heat, the Grand Official still has cold Zhe juice." This is correct. Yet Meng Shen claimed it generates phlegm with wine and food; does he not know its power to resolve alcohol and remove heat? Ri Huazi (Da Ming) further claimed granulated sugar resolves alcohol toxicity, not knowing that once refined, it aids alcohol in generating heat, differing from the nature of raw juice. According to Chao Shi's *Ke Hua*: Licorice becomes hot when heated, hemp oil becomes cold when heated, sugarcane syrup becomes hot when cooked, water becomes cold when boiled. Such differences in material properties, how can physicians ignore them? Also, *Yeshi* records: Lu Jiangzhong suffered from malaria and wasting syndrome, suddenly dreaming of a woman in white clothes saying: "Eating sugarcane will cure you." Upon waking, he bought several stalks and ate them; the next day the illness was cured. This is also evidence of assisting the Spleen and harmonizing the middle?

[Attached Formulas] Three old formulas, four new formulas.
Fever with dry mouth, red and difficult urination: Take sugarcane, peel, chew and swallow the juice. Drinking the juice is also acceptable (*Waitai Miyao*).
Phlegm wheezing and rapid breathing: See formula under Yam (*Shanyao*).
Regurgitation and vomiting food, morning food vomited evening, evening food vomited morning, frequent vomiting: Use seven sheng of sugarcane juice, one sheng of ginger juice, mix evenly, sip slowly every day (*Meishi Fang*).
Incessant dry retching: Sugarcane juice, take half sheng warm, three times daily. Adding ginger juice is better (*Zhouhou Fang*).
Malaria and wasting syndrome: See above. Sudden red swelling of eyes, gritty pain: Two he of sugarcane juice, half liang of Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian), place in copper vessel, simmer slowly until concentrated, strain, apply to eyes (*Puji Fang*).
Deficiency heat cough, dry mouth with nasal discharge and saliva: Use one and a half sheng of sugarcane juice, four he of Qingliang Rice, cook into porridge, eat twice daily, highly moistens Heart and Lungs (Dong Shi Fang).
Pediatric oral thrush: Burn sugarcane peel to ash, grind to powder, sprinkle on affected area (*Jianbian Fang*).

Residue
[Indications] Calcined to retain nature, ground to powder, mixed with Wuyou (black sesame oil), applied to pediatric scalp tinea capitis (white bald patches), frequent application until healed. Do not let smoke enter human eyes; it can restore sight to the blind (Li Shizhen).