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Euryale Seed (Jitou Shi)
Trapa Fruit (Jishi)
(Also known as Qianshi.) Sweet in taste, neutral in nature. Belongs to Earth with an affinity for Water. Non-toxic. Planted in ponds everywhere; fruits are harvested in autumn and dried in the sun. Its shape resembles a chicken's head, hence its name. The husk must first be pounded off before the kernel can be obtained. Cooked and eaten, it can serve as a substitute for grain; chewed raw, it may induce wind-cold pathogenic factors. If infants consume it, their physical growth will be stunted. (Meng Shen stated: Feeding this to infants prevents them from growing large, thus it is said to preserve youth and prolong life.) For the elderly, consumption extends longevity. In medicinal use, it can be processed into powders or pills; commonly, it is also boiled into porridge or made into cakes. It primarily treats damp-bi syndrome and stops pain in the waist and knees; it benefits essence and qi, making the ears and eyes clear. It strengthens willpower and treats scrofula and sores on the neck; it tonifies the Middle Jiao and eliminates sudden acute diseases. Long-term consumption without aversion leads gradually to a state akin to immortality. In ancient formulas, taken together with Jin Ying Zi Wan (Cherokee Rose Fruit Pill), it is named "Shui Lu Er Xian Dan" (Immortals of Water and Land). The tender root is called Cai vegetable, suitable for treating Qi pain in the lower abdomen. Another aquatic plant is the water caltrop, named Jishi. Its flavor and nature are similar, also produced in ponds. There are differences between four-cornered and two-cornered varieties; they can be eaten raw or cooked according to need. However, it cannot cure diseases and may instead harm the person. It causes coldness in the viscera, damages Yang Qi, and leads to penile flaccidity; drinking hot wine or ginger soup can resolve this toxicity. Excessive consumption causes abdominal distension, which can also be alleviated by this method.

Sugarcane
Sweet in taste, neutral in nature. Non-toxic. Grows abundantly in Fujian and Sichuan; there are two types. One resembles bamboo, being thick and long, called Zhuzhe (Bamboo Sugarcane); the other resembles reeds, being thin and short, called Dizhe (Reed Sugarcane). When used medicinally, it is crushed and juiced. In medical cases recorded by Zhu Zhenheng (Danxi), it is frequently employed. It assists Spleen Qi, harmonizes the interior, resolves alcohol toxicity, and relieves thirst. It promotes urination through the Large and Small Intestines, tonifies Qi, expels epidemic heat, and settles mania. Stored in manure pits during the twelfth lunar month, the juice extracted in summer is particularly effective. Do not consume it with alcohol or food, as it induces phlegm.
There is also brown sugar (Shatang), derived from boiling down the juice. It kills pinworms, moistens the Lungs, removes alternating chills and fever, and cools the Heart. Consuming it with bamboo shoots may lead to blood disorders; consuming it with Malva verticillata (Kui Cai) may cause sinking ailments. Excessive consumption by children damages teeth and consumes muscle tissue.