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[Green Bean]
Taste is sweet, nature is cold, non-toxic. It mainly treats erysipelas (red skin infection), vexatious heat, wind-rash, toxicity activation from medicinal stones, and "heat qi running pig" (a sensation of Qi rushing from the lower abdomen to the chest). Crush fresh green beans, squeeze out the juice, and take it orally. It can also be boiled and eaten to reduce swelling, direct Qi downward, suppress heat, and resolve stone toxicity. When used, do not remove the skin; removing it may cause slight Qi stagnation in the person. The skin is cold while the flesh is neutral. Small, round, and green ones are best. There is another bean called "Chi" (sound zhí), with similar seedlings, which mainly treats vomiting and diarrhea caused by cholera-like illness. Take the leaves, crush and squeeze out the juice, mix with a little vinegar, and take warm. The seeds also direct Qi downward. (Added now)
Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully cite Meng Shen: Green bean, nature is neutral. Various dietary methods: Making pancakes and roasting them to eat is excellent. Respectfully citing its tonifying effects, it harmonizes the five Zang organs, calms the spirit, unblocks the twelve meridians, which is the most beneficial. Nowadays, people beat off the skin before eating, which causes slight Qi obstruction. If for treating disease, it must be used with the skin, so it should not be removed. Additionally, crushing and boiling the juice to drink treats diabetes (Xiao Ke). It also removes floating wind, boosts energy, moistens skin and flesh, and can be consumed long-term. Ri Huazi says: Green bean, nature is cold.

Nature is neutral, non-toxic. Tonifies the five Zang organs, benefits the Middle Jiao, assists the twelve meridians, regulates the middle, and warms the stomach and intestines. The leaves benefit the five Zang organs and direct Qi downward. Tender leaves can be used as vegetables; eating them raw is also good and can be consumed regularly. [(Newly added) See records by Meng Shen and Ri Huazi.]
Sun Simiao's Dietary Taboos: White bean, taste is salty. It is the grain of the Kidney, suitable for consumption in Kidney diseases, and can repel ghostly Qi.

(Added during Jiyou year from *Yanyi*)

[Vinegar]
Taste is sour, nature is warm, non-toxic. It mainly treats carbuncles and swellings, dissipates water-Qi, and kills evil toxins.
Tao Hongjing says: Vinegar and wine, when used medicinally, penetrate everywhere; the older, the better. It is also called "Xi". Due to its bitter taste, it is commonly called "Ku Jiu" (Bitter Wine). Alchemists add other substances to it, calling it "Hua Chi Zuo Wei", but it should not be eaten in excess as it damages muscles and viscera. *Tang Ben Cao* notes: There are several types of vinegar; this refers to rice vinegar. If there are honey vinegar, wheat vinegar, yeast vinegar, peach vinegar, grape vinegar, jujube vinegar, (sound yu) and other mixed fruit vinegars, as well as bran dregs vinegar, those who understand their nature know they are extremely sour and sharp. They are only fit for eating, not for medicinal use. Minister Yuxi et al. respectfully cite Chen Cangqi: Vinegar breaks blood stasis, eliminates hard accumulations and masses, aids digestion, kills toxic substances, resolves Qi stagnation, treats acid regurgitation, phlegm-fluid retention. Eating too much damages sinews and bones. However, for medicinal use, two- or three-year-old rice vinegar is best. Su Gong says: In Chu regions where grapes grow, land is poor; even spoiled fruits are used to make vinegar. Even dregs vinegar is not used in medicine, let alone fruit vinegar. Meng Shen says: Vinegar, eating too much damages the stomach. It eliminates various toxic vapors and can treat postpartum blood-Qi disorders in women. Take clear, high-quality vinegar, heat it slightly, and gargle slowly until cured. Also, for oral ulcers, soak Phellodendron bark in vinegar and gargle until cured. For cattle and horse epidemics, mix and administer orally. While taking medications, do not eat much vinegar. Do not consume together with clam meat, as they are contrary. Furthermore, people outside the Yangtze River mostly use rice vinegar, while northerners mostly use dregs vinegar. Vinegar can trigger drug toxicity and should not be taken together with drugs. Grinding Qingmuxiang (Indigofera root) and taking it stops sudden heart pain and blood-Qi pain. Applying Rhubarb paste to swellings uses rice vinegar-flashed Cinnabar. Ri Huazi says: Vinegar treats postpartum women, injuries, and metallic wounds with bleeding; directs Qi downward, relieves vexation, breaks mass formations. Treats women's heart pain, enhances the power of other drugs, and kills all fish, meat, and vegetable toxins. It also states that rice vinegar has the same functions as vinegar; eating too much is not beneficial for men and damages complexion.
*Dietary Therapy*: Treats abdominal masses (Pi); decocting Rhubarb in vinegar is very effective, especially using fresh Rhubarb. Rice vinegar is best; wheat vinegar is inferior; dregs vinegar has many contraindications. Barley vinegar is slightly cold. Others are like wheat vinegar. For Qi stagnation and wind-phlegm obstruction causing arm and knee/leg pain, stir-fry vinegar dregs, wrap around the affected area, change 2-3 times, and it will heal. Humans eating too much damages waist muscles and viscera.
*Waitai Miyao*: Treats muscle cramps (Zhuan Jin). Soak old cotton in strong vinegar, steam in a steamer until hot, wrap around the patient's feet, replace when cold, do not stop until healed. Another prescription: Treats wind-toxin swelling and Baihu disease (Gout/Joint pain). Use five sheng of three-year-strong vinegar, boil vigorously for 3-5 boils, cut 2-3 sheng of white scallion parts, boil for one boil, strain, wrap in cloth, and apply hot with three-year-strong vinegar mixed with calcined lime (Duan Shi) to the swollen area. *Qianjin Fang*: Treats deafness. Decoct Aconite in pure vinegar over low fire, sharpen into a point, and insert into the ear for effect. Another prescription: Treats persistent epistaxis (nosebleed). Another prescription: Treats tongue swelling. Mix vinegar with pot-bottom soot (Baicaoshuang), apply thickly to upper and lower tongue, reapply after peeling, disappears quickly. Washing is better. Another prescription: Treats Quwu urine (skin lesion from insect bite), mix vinegar with flour powder and apply. Another prescription: Treats cholera with abdominal distension/pain, fullness, and shortness of breath; drink 1-2 sheng. Another prescription: Treats sudden swelling of body, hands, and feet; mix vinegar with earthworm excrement and apply, changing frequently. *Zhouhou Beifang*: Treats abscesses that have formed pus heads. Mix Ku Jiu (vinegar) with sparrow urine, apply to the abscess head like a mung bean size, and it will pierce immediately. Another prescription: Toothache gargle formula. Boil one sheng of large vinegar with one sheng of Goji berry bark, obtain half a sheng, gargle until healed. Another prescription: Treats facial freckles or spots resembling bird eggs. Soek Atractylodes macrocephala in Ku Jiu, wipe face often, and spots will gradually disappear. *Jingxiao Chanbao*: Treats lower back and leg weakness and deafness. Soak Sanleng (Sparganium) in rice vinegar; soak for four days in summer, six days in winter, pound into powder. Take three qian with vinegar soup. Vinegar mainly treats carbuncles and swellings, dissipates water-Qi, and kills evil Qi. Bian Que says: Eating too much vinegar damages bones and can regulate drug-induced heat/toxicity. Another prescription: Treats scorpion stings; grind Aconite with vinegar and apply. Qian Xianggong's Chest Prescription: Treats joint pain, centipedes, and ants entering ears. Pour bitter vinegar into the ear; standing up and walking will expel them. Another prescription: Treats centipede and spider venom; grind native iron with vinegar and apply. *Beimeng Suoyan* records: A young man constantly saw a mirror in his eyes. Zhao Qing diagnosed him and said, "Tomorrow morning I will serve you sashimi." At the appointed time, he was invited inside, waited patiently, hungry for a long time, until guests left, then conversed. Soon, a bowl of mustard vinegar was placed on the table, with no other flavors. The young man, being very hungry, smelled the mustard vinegar, took a sip, then another sip shortly after, and suddenly felt his chest open up, and the visual hallucination disappeared. Zhao Qing said, "You ate too much sashimi; the mustard vinegar wasn't fast enough, so..." Guangxian's family maid holding a child accidentally dropped the child on charcoal fire; applying vinegar mud paste left no scar. *Zimu Milu*: Treats premature labor with retained dead fetus. Boil soybeans in vinegar, take three sheng; the dead fetus will immediately disintegrate. If not delivered, take again. It also says: Two sheng of vinegar, boil four yellows (likely referring to specific ingredients or colors) with rice vinegar, dissolving cinnabar and alum flavors. *Shu Ben Cao*: Vinegar and wine have several types; this is rice vinegar.
*Yanyi* says: Vinegar is made from wine lees; what is begged from neighbors is this substance. However, there are rice vinegar, wheat vinegar, and jujube vinegar. Rice vinegar is the strongest and most commonly used in medicine. Because the grain Qi is complete, it surpasses dregs vinegar. Having vinegar Qi in the delivery room is excellent because sourness benefits blood. Grinding Realgar to apply to bee/wasp stings also utilizes its astringent and non-dispersive properties. Water generates Wood; when Water Qi is weak and Wood Qi is abundant, thus it is so. Making boot leather requires this to create wrinkles, thus conforming to its... astringent nature, living up to the theory of "sour astringency".