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(Quoted from *Riyong Bencao*)

[Names] Cold Melon (see below).

[Collection and Explanation] Rui said: After the Khitan defeated the Uyghurs, they obtained this variety of melon seed. It was planted by covering the soil with cow dung. The fruit grew as large as a dou (a unit of volume), round like a calabash, green in color like jade, with seeds that were golden or blackish-hemp colored. It was widely grown in the northern regions.

Shizhen said: According to Hu Qiao's *Records of Being Captured*, Hu Qiao campaigned against the Uyghurs and brought back this seed, naming it Watermelon. Thus, watermelon began to enter China during the Five Dynasties period. Now it is grown in both north and south, though the southern varieties taste slightly inferior; it belongs to the category of sweet melons. Seeds are sown in February, growing vines; flowers and leaves resemble those of sweet melons. Fruits ripen in July and August, some reaching a circumference of one chi or a length of two chi. Ridges may be present or absent; colors vary from green to dark green; flesh ranges from white to red, with red-fleshed ones tasting superior. Seeds vary in color—yellow, red, black, or white—with white-seeded ones being inferior in taste. Flavors include sweet, bland, and sour, with sour being the lowest grade. Tao Hongjing, in his commentary on the melon stalk, mentioned that in Yongjia there existed a very large "cold melon" that could be stored until spring; this refers to the watermelon. Presumably, before the Five Dynasties, melon seeds had already entered eastern Zhejiang, but without the name "watermelon," and had not yet spread throughout China. The seeds can be dried, cracked open, and the kernels extracted; they are excellent whether eaten raw or roasted. The rind is not suitable for direct consumption but can be preserved in honey or sauce.

Song said: There is a variety called Yangxi Melon, which grows in autumn and matures in winter. It is slightly oblong and large, with flesh colored like carmine, and tastes superior. It can be kept until the following year, said to be a seed left behind by an extraordinary person.

Melon Flesh

[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, bland, cold, non-toxic.

Rui said: It has slight toxicity. Excessive consumption causes vomiting and diarrhea; those with weak spleens should not eat it. Eating it with fried dough sticks damages the spleen.

Shizhen said: According to *Yanshu* (Book of Longevity): People in the north have robust constitutions and tolerate eating it well; people in the south have delicate constitutions, and excessive consumption easily leads to cholera-like disorders and lifelong cold diseases. Furthermore, according to *Xianggan Zhi*: Eating the seeds after consuming watermelon prevents belching with the melon odor. If the melon is sliced and exposed to the sun for a short time before eating, it becomes cold as water. Exposure to alcohol fumes or proximity to sticky rice causes it to rot easily. If stepped on by a cat, the flesh becomes sandy.

[Indications] Relieves irritability and thirst, clears summer-heat (Wu Rui). Treats throat obstruction (Wang Ying). Regulates the middle jiao, promotes urination, treats bloody dysentery, and detoxifies alcohol (Ning Yuan). Holding the juice in the mouth treats mouth sores (Zhen Heng).

[Elucidation] Ying said: Watermelon is cold in nature and clears heat, earning the title "Natural Baihu Decoction" (White Tiger Decoction). However, it should not be consumed in excess.

Shizhen said: Both watermelon and sweet melon belong to cold and raw foods. Common people believe they provide the refreshing sensation of ghee poured over the head or sweet dew sprinkled on the heart, seeking only momentary pleasure, unaware of their harm to the spleen and promotion of dampness. The *Zhen Xishan Weisheng Ge* (Song of Health Preservation by Zhen Xishan) states: "Fruits, peaches, and cold/raw foods should be eaten sparingly, to avoid malaria and dysentery in autumn." This is correct. Additionally, Li Pengfei's *Yanshu* records: Chen Fengyuan, Prefect of Fangzhou, ate too many melons while escaping the summer heat. In autumn, he suddenly suffered from waist and leg pain, rendering him immobile. He was cured by Assistant Instructor Shang. These are all hazards associated with eating melons; thus, they are recorded here as a warning. Also, Hong Zhongxuan's *Songmo Jiwen* (Record of Observations in Songmo) mentions: Someone suffered from eye disease. Someone suggested slicing watermelon, drying it in the sun, and taking it daily, which led to recovery. This is due to its cold nature reducing fire.

Rind

[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, cool, non-toxic.

[Indications] Sores inside the mouth, tongue, and lips. Burn to ash, grind into powder, and hold in the mouth (Zhen Heng).

[Attached Formulas] Two new formulas.

Waist and lower back pain from strain: Dried green rind of watermelon, ground into powder, taken with salt and wine, 3 qian per dose. (*Shesheng Zhongmiao Fang*)

Injury from excessive melon consumption: Decoct melon rind in water to resolve the toxicity. Applies to all melons. (*Shilin Guangji*)

Melon Kernels

[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, cold, non-toxic.

[Indications] Same efficacy as sweet melon kernels (Shizhen).