Library

(Compendium of Materia Medica)

[Names] See below.

[Collected Explanations] Li Shizhen says: According to Fan Chengda's *Guanghai Zhi*, Longli (Dragon Lychee) is produced in the Lingnan region. Its shape resembles small lychees, but its flesh tastes like longan. Its trunk and leaves also resemble those two fruits, hence the name Longli. It blooms with small white flowers in March and ripens simultaneously with lychees. It cannot be eaten raw but can only be steamed.

Fruits
Sweet in taste, hot in nature, slightly toxic. Eating it raw may induce epilepsy or cause hallucinations of seeing ghosts (Li Shizhen cites *Guanghai Zhi*).

(Song Dynasty *Kaibao Bencao*)

[Names] Qingguo (Green Fruit, from *Mei Shengyu Ji*), Zhongguo (Loyal Fruit, from *Jishi Zhu*), Jian Guo (Admonishing Fruit, from *Nongshu*).
Li Shizhen says: The origin of the name "Olive" is unclear. Although this fruit turns ripe, its color remains green, so it is commonly called Qingguo (Green Fruit). Those that are yellow are inferior, indicating diseased fruit. Wang Zhen states: Its taste is bitter and astringent, becoming sweet only after a long time. Wang Yuanzuo wrote a poem comparing it to loyal words that offend the ear, cherished only when the world is in chaos, thus people named it Jian Guo (Admonishing Fruit).

[Collected Explanations] Su Song says: Olives grow in Lingnan. The tree resembles the *Muzi* tree but is taller, upright, and lovely. The fruits resemble unripe Chezi (Terminalia chebula), without ridges or lobes, harvested in August and September. There is also a variety called Persian Olive, growing in Yongzhou. The color is similar, but the pit splits into two halves; it is eaten after being preserved in honey.
Ma Zhi says: The tree is large, several feet in circumference. The fruits are about one cun long; those formed first hang downwards, while later ones rise gradually. When ripe, they taste sour if eaten raw, but extremely sweet when preserved in honey.
Tao Hongjing says: According to *Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi*: They grow in Fujian, Guangdong provinces, and coastal islands. The trees are over one zhang high, with leaves resembling Zelkova willows. Flowers bloom in February, fruits mature in August, resembling long dates, pointed at both ends, and green. The pits are also pointed and ridged, containing three cavities within which lie edible kernels.
Su Song says: According to Liu Xun's *Lingbiao Luyi*: Olive branches stand tall. The fruits mature late in autumn. Southerners value them highly, chewing them raw. Though bitter and astringent, their fragrance surpasses that of Clove (*Caryophylli Flos*). Wild varieties have abundant fruits on steep trees that cannot be climbed. One can score the root about one cun deep, insert salt, and the fruits will fall naturally overnight without harming the tree. Resin between branch nodes resembles peach gum. Southerners collect this, boiling it with peel and leaves to make a thick black syrup called Lantang (Olive Sugar), used to seal boat seams; it becomes firm as glue and lacquer and dries further upon contact with water.
Li Shizhen says: Olive trees are tall. Nailing wood into them or inserting salt into the skin before ripening causes the fruits to fall overnight, demonstrating the wonder of natural principles. The fruits are excellent raw; preserved in honey or salt, they can be transported far. The resinous wood, appearing as black glue, is collected by locals to extract a clear, strong scent called Lanxiang (Olive Fragrance). If mixed with ox hide glue, it is inferior. There is also Green Olive (green color) and Black Olive (dark green-black color, soft and sweet flesh). The flesh is pounded and dried, forming a frost-like substance resembling white salt, called Lanjian (Olive Paste). The kernel inside the Green Olive pit is dry and small. Only the Black Olive kernel is largest, layered like Sepia Shell (*Hai Piao Xiao*), with a sweet taste, called Lanren (Olive Kernel). Another variety, Fanglan, grows in Jiangliang Dong, Guangxi; it resembles an olive but has three or four angles, belonging to the Persian Olive type.

Fruits
[Properties and Flavor] Sour, sweet, warm, non-toxic.
Kou Zongshi says: Astringent taste, turning sweet after a while.
Zhu Zhenheng says: Astringent and sweet, suitable after drunkenness or overeating. However, it is hot in nature; excessive consumption can cause upper jiao qi stagnation.
Li Shizhen says: Salted olives lose their bitterness and astringency; eating them with chestnuts is very fragrant. According to *Yanshu*, one must remove both ends of the olive before eating, as they are hot in nature. Harvest and eat after the White Dew solar term to avoid illness.

[Therapeutic Actions] Raw or boiled, they eliminate alcohol toxicity and resolve Taiyu fish (Pufferfish) toxicity (*Kaibao Bencao*). Chewing and swallowing the juice treats fish bone impaction (Kou Zongshi).
Raw or boiled juice resolves various toxins (Su Song). Opens the stomach, directs qi downward, stops diarrhea (Daming). Generates body fluids, relieves thirst, treats sore throat. Must be chewed.

[Elucidation] Su Song says: Taiyu fish is the pufferfish. Accidental ingestion of its liver and roe causes coma and death; only olive and olive wood decoction can antidote it. Olive wood used as oars causes fish touched by them to float, showing such mutual antagonism among substances.
Li Shizhen says: According to *Mingyi Lu*: A wealthy man in Wujiang choked on a Mandarinfish (*Siniperca chuatsi*) bone stuck in his chest, unable to move up or down, crying out in pain for over half a month, nearly dying. He met fisherman Zhang Jiu, who advised him to eat olives. None were available, so Zhang ground olive pits into powder, administered with fast-flowing water, and the bone passed, curing him. Zhang said: My elders passed down that olive wood paddles cause fish to float upon touch, knowing fish fear olives. Now people use olives when cooking pufferfish and soft-shelled turtles, proving olives can treat all fish and turtle toxins.

[Attached Prescriptions] Four new prescriptions.
Neonatal Congenital Toxin: At birth, take one olive (calcined and powdered), mix with five fen of Cinnabar Powder (*Zhusha Mo*), chew one mouthful of raw Sesame Seeds (*Zhimazhong*), mix with saliva, wrap in silk like a date pit, place in infant's mouth. Wait until sucked for a moment, then breastfeed. This clears intestinal and gastric filth, reduces disease incidence, and minimizes smallpox lesions (Sun Shi's *Jixiao Fang*).
Cracked Lips with Sores: Calcine olives, powder them, mix with Pig Fat (*Zhizhi*) and apply.
Dental Wind, Caries, Pus, Blood, Worms: Calcine olives, powder them, add a little Musk (*Shexiang*), and apply (*Shenghui Fang*).
Lower Body Caries: Calcine olives to retain properties, powder them, mix with oil and apply. Or add equal parts of Child's Tea (*Haiercha*) (*Qiankun Shengyi*).

Olive Kernels
[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, neutral, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Dry lips and painful mouth corners; grind and apply (*Kaibao Bencao*).

Pits
[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, astringent, warm, non-toxic.
[Therapeutic Actions] Grind and take juice to treat various fish bone impactions and food stagnation. Also treats inverted smallpox pustules in children. Calcined and powdered, taken orally, treats lower bleeding (Li Shizhen).
[Attached Prescriptions] Three new prescriptions.
Wind Intestines Lower Bleeding: Calcine olive pits over a lamp until carbonized, powder. Take two qian each time, mixed with aged rice drink (*Renbai Zhizhi Fang*).
Scrotal Swelling: Equal parts Olive Pits, Lychee Pits, and Hawthorn Pits (calcined, powdered). Take two qian each time, mixed with Fennel Soup on an empty stomach.
Ear and Foot Frostbite: Calcine olive pits, powder, mix with oil and apply (*Qiankun Shengyi*).