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(Recorded in the Superior Grade of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)

[Names] Wax bee (*Bencao Gangmu*), Rong.
Li Shizhen said: The bee has a stinger hanging from its tail, hence it is called "Feng" (bee). The bee follows ritual norms, hence it is called "Rong". *Liji* (Book of Rites) states: "Fan then crown and cicada have Rong." *Huashu* (Book of Transformation) states: Bees possess the etiquette of ruler and minister. This is correct.

[Collection and Explanation] *Bielu* (New Records of Materia Medica) states: Bee larvae grow in the valleys of Wudu.
Su Song said: They are now found everywhere; they are honey roasted and eaten.
Li Shizhen said: Bee larvae refer to the white pupae of bees before they mature. *Liji* mentions sparrow, Rong, cicada, and Fan, all used for food, indicating that people have eaten them since ancient times. There are three types of bees: one type builds hives in forests or earth holes, known as wild bees; one type is kept by households in vessels, known as domestic bees, which are small and slightly yellow, producing rich and sweet honey; one type builds hives on high cliffs, which is the source of rock honey, and these bees are black and resemble horseflies. All three live in colonies with a king. The queen bee is larger than the worker bees and has a bluish-green hue. Bees hold court twice a day, responding to the tides' rise and fall. Male bees have sharp tails, while female bees have forked tails; after mating, their abdomens turn yellow. When smelling flowers, they use their antennae instead of noses; when gathering nectar, they embrace the flowers with their legs. According to Wang Yuanzhi's *Record of Bees*: The queen bee is non-toxic. When initially constructing the hive, they must build a platform, the size of a plum or peach fruit.
The queen resides on the platform and lays eggs in the center. The queen's offspring all revert to being queens, and the colony splits and leaves annually. During the split, some spread out like fans, others are round like jars, escorting the queen away. Wherever the queen is, bees dare not sting. If the queen is lost, the swarm collapses and dies. Their honey resembles the spleen in shape, called "honey spleen." When harvesting honey, one must not take too much; otherwise, the bees will starve and fail to reproduce. Nor should one take too little; otherwise, the bees will become lazy and cease working. Alas! The queen's lack of toxicity resembles the virtue of a ruler. Building the nest like a platform resembles establishing a state. Offspring reverting to queens resembles the establishment of hierarchy. Escorting the queen resembles guarding the sovereign. Not stinging where the queen is resembles obeying the law. Collapsing upon losing the queen resembles upholding righteousness. Taking honey in moderation resembles taxing one-tenth. Mountain dwellers, greedy for profit, fear the splitting of the colony and may kill the larvae, which is extremely unkind.

Bee Larvae

[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, neutral, slightly cold, non-toxic.
Kou Zongshi said: Cold, toxic. Those who consume it must use winter melon, Sophora flavescens root (Ku Shen), fresh ginger, and perilla to counteract the toxicity.
Xu Zhicai said: It fears Scutellaria root (Huang Qin), peony root (Shao Yao), oyster shell (Mu Li), and cistanche stem (Bai Qian).

[Indications] Head wind, removal of gu poison, tonification of deficiency and emaciation, and treatment of internal injury. Long-term consumption makes the skin lustrous, improves complexion, and prevents aging.
Tao Hongjing said: Soaked in wine and applied to the face, it makes the complexion fair and pleasing. It lightens the body, benefits qi, treats heart and abdominal pain, yellowing of the face and eyes, and the vomiting out of five types of intestinal parasites from the mouth in adults and children (*Bielu*). It treats erysipelas and wind-rash, residual heat in the abdomen, and difficulty in urination and defecation (Li Cangqi). Leprosy caused by severe wind (Li Shizhen).

[Elucidation] Li Shizhen said: In ancient times, bee larvae were used as food, hence their efficacy is recorded in *Shennong Bencao Jing* and *Bielu*. To treat severe wind diseases, various bee larvae are used together, suggesting they are herbs pertaining to the Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian and Foot-Taiyin Spleen meridian.

[Prescriptions] One new prescription.
For leprosy caused by severe wind, where eyebrows and beard have fallen out, and skin and flesh have rotted into sores: Use 1 fen each of bee larvae, hornet larvae, and wasp larvae (all stir-fried); 1 liang each of white-banded snake, dark snake (both soaked in wine, skin and bones removed, dried by roasting), full scorpion (earth removed, stir-fried), and white silkworm (stir-fried); 0.5 liang of earthworm (earth removed, stir-fried); 15 pieces each of gecko (whole, stir-fried) and red-legged centipede (whole, stir-fried); 1 liang of cinnabar; 1 fen of realgar (boiled with vinegar); 0.5 qian of borneol. Grind all into powder. Take 1 qian bi per dose, mixed with warm honey water, taken 3 to 5 times daily. (*Taiping Zonglu*)