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Bees gather nectar from non-toxic flowers and brew it into honey using their excrement. Those growing on rocks are called *Shimi* (Rock Honey).

The flavor is sweet and the nature is neutral. (Fresh honey has slight toxicity.) Honey is produced by bees; while bees have a cold nature, honey has a warm nature. This demonstrates that they share the same origin but differ in properties. (Note: "Shouzhen" refers to Liu Wansu, courtesy name Shouzhen.) Fresh honey has a cool nature, thus it can clear heat, relieve pain, regulate the pulse, and is highly effective in regulating the spleen. Applying [certain juices or human milk] and taking them together can stop [bleeding or pain]. For infections contracted in barbarian lands, dark scars...

[Discussion] Among all things, no taste is more supreme than the sweetness of honey. Bees collect the essence of hundreds of flowers and brew it into honey through excretion. This harmonizes various flavors, transforming decay into miracle. Sweetness belongs to Earth, therefore it can nourish the spleen. By gathering various flavors to form sweetness, and undergoing fermentation to create transformation, its ability to detoxify is paramount. Sweetness belongs to Yang, therefore it... promotes unobstructed flow. It is suitable for...

Danxi stated: In the northwest, where the terrain is high and dry, consuming honey is beneficial. In the southeast, where the terrain is low and damp, excessive consumption harms the spleen, generating damp-heat and parasites. (Note: "Binhu" refers to Li Shizhen, courtesy name Binhu.) For those who vomit...

[Processing] The method of refining with water and fire: For every jin (500g) of honey, add four liang (200g) of water. Slowly boil in a silver or ceramic vessel over mulberry wood fire, skimming off the foam until a drop forms a bead when cooled, then it is ready for use.

The honeycomb resembles the spleen, hence called *Mipi* (Honey Comb/Spleen). The bottom of the honeycomb is wax. After extracting the honey, the residue is refined, filtered into water, and allowed to solidify before collection. If yellow, it is named *Huangla* (Yellow Wax). Further melt it with boiling water, fold good cotton paper into several layers, wet it in cold water, and press it against the wax. It adheres instantly; place it back into cold water. Wax condenses on the paper, which is then peeled off. Repeat suction and peeling until complete. Spread in bamboo vessels and expose to sun. Sprinkle with water frequently as it dries. Over time, the color becomes white like raw silk, hence named *Baila* (White Wax). This is not newly made white wax that has turned yellow with age. It differs from the white wax produced by insects.

The flavor is sweet and bland, the nature slightly warm. It is incompatible with *Yuanhua* (Genkwa Flos) and *Gejie* (Gekko Gecko). *Shennong Bencao Jing* treats dysentery with pus and blood, tonifies the middle, repairs severe injuries (nourishes blood and moves meridians), treats metal wounds, benefits qi. *Bencao Bie Lu* treats tenesmus after diarrhea, discharging white pus, and benefits children. Honey has strong aroma and flavor, a slow nature, and soft texture; thus it moistens the zang-fu organs and nourishes the spleen. Wax's flavor and nature... differ from *Shennong Bencao Jing*... tonification. Pour... add half [measure of] fine wine... promotes flesh growth, obtain greasy... roast with *Baibo* (Platycladi Cacumen) and pig bile... one egg yolk. Stop. Take for two days... For those cases, use *Huangla Tang* (Yellow Wax Decoction). Treat heat dysentery... half [measure of] aged rice... cough and voice... transforms into... inability to speak... later, Tai... strain and remove dregs...

[Discussion] The taste of wax is initially slightly sweet, quickly turning bland. The five flavors take blandness as the root. Now, blandness follows sweetness, originating from the Central Earth, possessing a flavor that supports the critical and rescues the distressed. This substance condenses honey... treat dysentery without retention... those with dull senses say... Miao stated: For acute dysentery due to fire-heat, it should not be used.