西瓜甜瓜，皆属生冷，多食伤脾助湿，卫生歌云∶瓜桃生冷宜少食，免致秋来成疟
痢。瓜性寒，根曝之尤寒。稽舍赋云∶瓜曝则寒，油煎则冷，物性之异也。
西瓜，熟者性温，不寒，解夏中暑热毒，最灵，有天生白虎汤之号，仍疗喉痹。
更止渴消解暑除烦，利水醒酒，然取其一时之快，而多伤脾助湿之虞。
禀内阴土之气，外受霜露之侵，故味甘。气微寒而性冷利，无毒，水属阴，瓜性
亦属阴，气类相从，故能利小便，除小腹水胀。甘寒解胃中之热，故能止消渴，及热毒
痈肿，压丹热毒，然性冷利，脏腑有热者宜之。若虚寒肾冷，久病滑泄者忌食。《杨氏
家藏方》∶十种水气浮肿喘满，用大冬瓜一枚，切盖去瓤，以赤小豆填满，盖合签定。
以纸斤泥固济，日干，用糯糠两大罗箩，入瓜在内，煨致火尽，取出切片，同赤豆焙
干，为末，水糊丸，每服七十丸，煎冬瓜子汤下，日三服，小便利为度。
白冬瓜，欲瘦轻健者宜餐，欲肥胖大者忌食，阴虚久病尤宜禁之。盖入肠胃之中性
走而急故也，压丹石毒，利大小便，除脐下水胀成淋，止胸前烦闷作渴，薄置痈上频
换，大散热毒旋痊，和桐叶饲猪一冬，大胜糟糠长肉。九月勿食，令人反胃。
与苦苣一物而形稍异，功用则相同也。禀天地之阴气，故味苦、气寒、无毒。入
心、脾、肾三经。其主五脏邪气者，邪热容于心也，胃腑渴热中疾者，热在胃也。肠癖
者热在大肠也，恶疮者热瘀伤血肉也，苦寒总除诸热，故主之也。热去则神自清，故久
服安心益气，聪察少卧也。耐饥耐寒轻身不老者，总言其热退阴生。安心益气之机动也。
苦菜，味苦，寒，无毒。主五脏邪气，厌谷胃痹肠 ，渴热中疾恶疮，久服安心益
气，聪察少卧，耐饥耐寒轻身不老。
西瓜和甜瓜，都属于生冷之物，多吃会损伤脾胃、助长湿气。《卫生歌》中说：瓜果桃子等生冷食物应当少吃，以免到了秋天患上疟疾或痢疾。瓜的性质寒凉，根经过暴晒后寒性更甚。稽舍的赋文中说：瓜经暴晒则寒性增加，用油煎则变得冷冽，这是事物本性不同的表现。
西瓜，成熟的性质温和，不寒凉，能解除夏季中暑的热毒，效果极佳，因此有“天生白虎汤”的称号，仍然可以治疗喉痹（咽喉肿痛闭塞）。更能止渴、消除暑热、除烦，利尿、解酒，但如果只贪图一时的爽快而多吃，就有损伤脾胃、助长湿气的隐患。
西瓜禀受内部阴土之气，外部受到霜露的侵袭，所以味道甘甜。气微寒而性质冷利，无毒。水属阴，瓜的性质也属阴，气味类别相同相从，所以能通利小便，消除小腹部的水肿胀满。甘寒之性能清解胃中的热邪，所以能治疗消渴症，以及热毒引起的痈肿，压制丹石类药物引发的热毒，但因为性质冷利，脏腑有热的人适宜食用。如果是虚寒体质、肾冷、久病滑泄的人则忌食。《杨氏家藏方》记载：治疗十种水气病导致的浮肿喘满，取一个大冬瓜，切开盖子去掉瓤，用赤小豆填满，盖好并固定。用一斤纸和泥密封加固，晒干，用两大箩糯米糠，将瓜放入其中，煨烤直到火燃尽，取出切片，与赤小豆一起焙干，研成粉末，用水糊做成丸药，每次服用七十丸，用冬瓜子汤送服，每天三次，以小便通畅为度。
白冬瓜，想要身体消瘦轻盈的人适宜食用，想要身体肥胖壮实的人忌食，阴虚久病者尤其禁止食用。因为进入肠胃之后，其性质运行迅速急迫。它能压制丹石毒，通利大小便，消除脐下因水胀形成的淋证，停止胸前的烦闷和口渴，薄敷在痈肿上频繁更换，能大散热毒使病情迅速痊愈；用桐叶喂养猪一整冬，比喂糟糠更能让猪长肉。九月不要食用，否则令人反胃。
苦菜与苦苣是同一种东西但形状稍有不同，功效则是相同的。禀受天地的阴气，所以味道苦、气寒、无毒。入心、脾、肾三经。它主治五脏邪气，是因为邪热容纳于心；胃腑渴热中疾，是因为热在胃；肠癖（痢疾）是因为热在大肠；恶疮是因为热瘀损伤血肉。苦寒之性总括地清除各种热邪，所以主治这些病症。热邪去除则神志自然清明，所以长期服用能安心益气，使人聪慧明察、睡眠减少。耐饥耐寒、身体轻便、延缓衰老，总体是说热退阴生，这是安心益气的机理所在。
苦菜，味苦，性寒，无毒。主治五脏邪气，厌食、胃痹、肠癖、渴热中疾、恶疮，长期服用能安心益气，使人聪慧明察、睡眠减少，耐饥耐寒、身体轻便、延缓衰老。
Watermelon and melon both belong to raw and cold substances; excessive consumption damages the Spleen and promotes dampness. The *Song of Health Preservation* states: "Fruits, peaches, and other raw/cold foods should be eaten in moderation to avoid contracting malaria or dysentery in autumn." Melons have a cold nature, and their roots become even colder when exposed to the sun. Ji She's fu (rhapsody) says: "Melons become colder when dried by the sun, and colder still when fried in oil; this is due to the difference in their intrinsic natures."
Ripe watermelon has a warm nature and is not cold; it effectively resolves summer heat and toxic heat, earning the title "Natural Baihu Decoction" (White Tiger Decoction). It also treats throat obstruction (sore throat with swelling and blockage). It further quenches thirst, clears summer heat, relieves irritability, promotes urination, and detoxifies alcohol. However, seeking only momentary relief through overconsumption carries the risk of damaging the Spleen and promoting dampness.
It inherits the Yin-earth Qi internally and is externally invaded by frost and dew, hence its sweet taste. Its Qi is slightly cold and its nature is cold and purgative, non-toxic. Water belongs to Yin, and melon's nature also belongs to Yin; since their Qi categories correspond, they can promote urination and eliminate abdominal distension due to fluid retention. The sweet-cold nature clears heat in the Stomach, thus treating polydipsia (wasting-thirst syndrome) and sores/abscesses caused by toxic heat, suppressing heat toxins from cinnabar-stone drugs. However, due to its cold and purgative nature, it is suitable for those with heat in the Zang-Fu organs. Those with deficiency-cold, cold kidneys, or chronic loose stools should avoid it. *Yang's Family Prescriptions* records: For ten types of edema and fullness/panting due to water qi, take one large winter melon, cut off the lid, remove the pulp, fill it with Adzuki beans (*Vigna angularis*), replace the lid, and secure it. Seal tightly with paper and mud, dry in the sun, place inside two large baskets filled with glutinous rice bran, and bake until the fire burns out. Remove, slice, and dry-roast together with the Adzuki beans, then grind into powder. Make pills using water paste, taking 70 pills per dose, washed down with decoction of winter melon seeds, three times daily, stopping when urination becomes smooth.
White winter melon is suitable for those wishing to become lean and agile, but should be avoided by those wishing to gain weight or become robust. It is especially contraindicated for those with Yin deficiency and chronic illness. This is because once it enters the intestines and stomach, its nature acts swiftly and urgently. It suppresses cinnabar-stone toxicity, promotes bowel and urinary movements, eliminates stranguria caused by fluid accumulation below the umbilicus, stops chest stuffiness and thirst, and when applied thinly to sores and changed frequently, it greatly dissipates heat and toxins, leading to rapid recovery. Feeding pigs winter melon leaves mixed with tung tree leaves for a whole winter results in significantly better weight gain than feeding them chaff. Do not eat it in the ninth lunar month, as it causes regurgitation.
Bitter vegetable (*Sonchus oleraceus*) is the same species as bitter lettuce but differs slightly in shape, while having identical functions. It inherits the Yin Qi of Heaven and Earth, hence its bitter taste, cold nature, and non-toxicity. It enters the Heart, Spleen, and Kidney meridians. It treats evil Qi in the five Zang organs because evil heat resides in the Heart; gastric thirst and heat disorders occur because heat is in the Stomach; intestinal dysentery occurs because heat is in the Large Intestine; foul sores occur because heat stagnation injures flesh and blood. The bitter-cold nature generally eliminates various heats, thus treating these conditions. When heat is removed, the Spirit naturally clarifies; therefore, long-term use calms the mind, benefits Qi, enhances mental acuity, and reduces sleep needs. Enduring hunger and cold, lightening the body, and preventing aging are all general descriptions of the mechanism where heat recedes and Yin grows, which is the dynamic process of calming the mind and benefiting Qi.
Bitter vegetable: Bitter in taste, cold in nature, non-toxic. Treats evil Qi in the five Zang organs, anorexia, gastric obstruction, intestinal dysentery, internal heat with thirst, and foul sores. Long-term use calms the mind, benefits Qi, enhances mental acuity, reduces sleep needs, enables endurance of hunger and cold, lightens the body, and prevents aging.