（《本经》上品）
【释名】蜡蜂（《纲目》）、 。
时珍曰∶蜂尾垂锋，故谓之蜂。蜂有礼范，故谓之 。《礼记》云∶范则冠而蝉有 。《化
书》云∶蜂有君臣之礼。是矣。
【集解】《别录》曰∶蜂子生武都山谷。
颂曰∶今处处有之，即蜜
炒食之。
时珍曰∶蜂子，即蜜蜂子未成时白蛹也。《礼记》有雀、 、蜩、范，皆以供食，则自
古食之矣。其蜂有三种∶一种在林木或土穴中作房，为野蜂；一种人家以器收养者，为家蜂
，并小而微黄，蜜皆浓美；一种在山岩高峻处作房，即石蜜也，其蜂黑色似牛虻。三者皆
群居有王。王大于众蜂，而色青苍。皆一日两衙，应潮上下。凡蜂之雄者尾锐，雌者尾歧，
相交则黄退。嗅花则以须代鼻，采花则以股抱之。按∶王元之《蜂记》云∶蜂王无毒。窠之
始营，必造一台，大如桃李。
王居台上，生子于中。王之子尽复为王，岁分其族而去。其分也，或铺如扇，或圆如罂，
拥其王而去。王之所在，蜂不敢螫。若失其王，则众溃而死。其酿蜜如脾，谓之蜜脾。凡取
其蜜不可多，多则蜂饥而不蕃。又不可少，少则蜂惰而不作。呜呼！王之无毒，似君德也。
营巢如台，似建国也。子复为王，似分定也。拥王而行，似卫主也。王所不螫，似遵法也。
王失则溃，守义节也。取惟得中，似什一而税也。山人贪其利，恐其分而刺其子，不仁甚矣！
蜂子
【气味】甘，平、微寒，无毒。
大明曰∶凉，有毒。食之者须以冬瓜、苦 、生姜、紫苏制其毒。
之才曰∶畏黄芩、芍药、牡蛎、白前。
【主治】风头，除蛊毒，补虚羸伤中。久服令人光泽，好颜色，不老
弘景曰∶酒渍敷面，令人悦白）。轻身益气，治心腹痛，面目黄，大人小儿腹中五虫从
口吐出者（《别录》）。主丹毒风疹，腹内留热，利大小便涩，
（藏器）。大风疠疾（时珍）。
【发明】时珍曰∶蜂子古人以充馔品，故《本经》《别录》着其功
治大风疾，兼用诸蜂子，盖亦足阳明、太阴之药也。
【附方】新一。
大风疠疾，须眉堕落，皮肉已烂成疮者∶用蜜蜂子、胡蜂子、黄蜂子（并炒）各一分，
白花蛇、乌蛇（并酒浸，去皮、骨，炙干）、全蝎（去土，炒）、白僵蚕（炒）各一两，地龙
（去土，炒）半两，蝎虎（全者，炒）、赤足蜈蚣（全者，炒）各十五枚，丹砂一两，雄黄
（醋熬）一分，龙脑半钱，上为末。每服一钱匕，温蜜汤调下，日三五服。（《总录》）
（收录于《神农本草经》上品）
【释名】蜡蜂（出自《本草纲目》）、蝾。
李时珍说：蜜蜂尾部垂着尖刺，所以称为“蜂”。蜜蜂有礼仪规范，所以称为“蝾”。《礼记》中说：“范则冠而蝉有蝾”（此处原文似有脱误或特指某种形态，意指其形制如冠或蝉翼般有范）。《化书》说：蜜蜂有君臣的礼节。这是正确的。
【集解】《名医别录》说：蜂子生长在武都的山谷中。
苏颂说：现在到处都有，就是蜂蜜炒熟后食用。
李时珍说：蜂子，就是未发育成熟的白色蜜蜂蛹。《礼记》中有雀、蝾、蜩、范，都是用来供食用的，那么自古以来人们就吃它们了。蜜蜂有三种：一种在树林或土穴中筑巢，是野蜂；一种人家器皿中饲养的，是家蜂，体型较小且微黄，蜂蜜浓郁甜美；一种在山岩高处筑巢，就是石蜜的蜂巢，这种蜜蜂黑色像牛虻。这三种都是群居且有王。蜂王比众蜂大，颜色青苍。蜜蜂每天两次上朝，顺应潮汐上下活动。凡是雄蜂尾部尖锐，雌蜂尾部分叉，交配后腹部变黄。嗅花时用触角代替鼻子，采花时用腿部抱住花朵。据王元之《蜂记》记载：蜂王没有毒性。蜂巢刚开始营造时，必定建造一个台子，大小像桃李一样。
蜂王居住在台上，在中间产卵。蜂王的后代全部复变为王，每年分群离开。分群时，有的铺展如扇子，有的圆润如坛子，拥戴蜂王离去。蜂王所在之处，蜜蜂不敢螫人。如果失去了蜂王，众蜂就会溃散而死。它们酿造的蜂蜜像脾脏形状，称为“蜜脾”。凡是取蜜不可过多，过多则蜜蜂饥饿而不繁衍；也不可过少，过少则蜜蜂懒惰而不劳作。唉！蜂王无毒，类似君主的德行。营造巢穴如建台，类似建立国家。后代复为王，类似名分已定。拥戴蜂王而行，类似护卫君主。蜂王所在不螫人，类似遵守法度。失去蜂王则溃散，是坚守节义。取蜜适中，类似征收十分之一的税。山中人贪图利益，恐怕蜜蜂分群而刺死它们的幼虫，太不仁德了！
蜂子
【气味】甘，平、微寒，无毒。
寇宗奭说：性凉，有毒。食用者必须用冬瓜、苦参、生姜、紫苏来制约其毒性。
徐之才说：畏黄芩、芍药、牡蛎、白前。
【主治】风头，去除蛊毒，补益虚损羸弱及内伤。长期服用使人皮肤光泽，面色好，不老。
陶弘景说：酒浸后敷面，使人脸色悦白。轻身益气，治疗心腹痛，面目发黄，大人小孩腹中五虫从口吐出的情况（出自《名医别录》）。主治丹毒风疹，腹内余热，大小便涩滞不通（出自李藏器）。大风疠疾（李时珍补充）。
【发明】李时珍说：古人用蜂子充作食品，所以《神农本草经》和《名医别录》记载了其功效。治疗大风疾，兼用各种蜂子，大概也是足阳明胃经、足太阴脾经的药物。
【附方】新方一则。
大风疠疾，须眉脱落，皮肉已经腐烂成疮的：用蜜蜂子、胡蜂子、黄蜂子（均炒制）各一分，白花蛇、乌梢蛇（均酒浸，去皮、骨，炙干），全蝎（去土，炒），白僵蚕（炒）各一两，地龙（去土，炒）半两，蝎虎（完整的，炒），赤足蜈蚣（完整的，炒）各十五枚，朱砂一两，雄黄（醋熬）一分，冰片半钱。以上研为细末。每次服用一钱匕，用温蜂蜜水调服，每日三到五次。（出自《太平总录》）
(Recorded in the Superior Grade of *Shennong Bencao Jing*)
[Names] Wax bee (*Bencao Gangmu*), Rong.
Li Shizhen said: The bee has a stinger hanging from its tail, hence it is called "Feng" (bee). The bee follows ritual norms, hence it is called "Rong". *Liji* (Book of Rites) states: "Fan then crown and cicada have Rong." *Huashu* (Book of Transformation) states: Bees possess the etiquette of ruler and minister. This is correct.
[Collection and Explanation] *Bielu* (New Records of Materia Medica) states: Bee larvae grow in the valleys of Wudu.
Su Song said: They are now found everywhere; they are honey roasted and eaten.
Li Shizhen said: Bee larvae refer to the white pupae of bees before they mature. *Liji* mentions sparrow, Rong, cicada, and Fan, all used for food, indicating that people have eaten them since ancient times. There are three types of bees: one type builds hives in forests or earth holes, known as wild bees; one type is kept by households in vessels, known as domestic bees, which are small and slightly yellow, producing rich and sweet honey; one type builds hives on high cliffs, which is the source of rock honey, and these bees are black and resemble horseflies. All three live in colonies with a king. The queen bee is larger than the worker bees and has a bluish-green hue. Bees hold court twice a day, responding to the tides' rise and fall. Male bees have sharp tails, while female bees have forked tails; after mating, their abdomens turn yellow. When smelling flowers, they use their antennae instead of noses; when gathering nectar, they embrace the flowers with their legs. According to Wang Yuanzhi's *Record of Bees*: The queen bee is non-toxic. When initially constructing the hive, they must build a platform, the size of a plum or peach fruit.
The queen resides on the platform and lays eggs in the center. The queen's offspring all revert to being queens, and the colony splits and leaves annually. During the split, some spread out like fans, others are round like jars, escorting the queen away. Wherever the queen is, bees dare not sting. If the queen is lost, the swarm collapses and dies. Their honey resembles the spleen in shape, called "honey spleen." When harvesting honey, one must not take too much; otherwise, the bees will starve and fail to reproduce. Nor should one take too little; otherwise, the bees will become lazy and cease working. Alas! The queen's lack of toxicity resembles the virtue of a ruler. Building the nest like a platform resembles establishing a state. Offspring reverting to queens resembles the establishment of hierarchy. Escorting the queen resembles guarding the sovereign. Not stinging where the queen is resembles obeying the law. Collapsing upon losing the queen resembles upholding righteousness. Taking honey in moderation resembles taxing one-tenth. Mountain dwellers, greedy for profit, fear the splitting of the colony and may kill the larvae, which is extremely unkind.
Bee Larvae
[Properties and Flavor] Sweet, neutral, slightly cold, non-toxic.
Kou Zongshi said: Cold, toxic. Those who consume it must use winter melon, Sophora flavescens root (Ku Shen), fresh ginger, and perilla to counteract the toxicity.
Xu Zhicai said: It fears Scutellaria root (Huang Qin), peony root (Shao Yao), oyster shell (Mu Li), and cistanche stem (Bai Qian).
[Indications] Head wind, removal of gu poison, tonification of deficiency and emaciation, and treatment of internal injury. Long-term consumption makes the skin lustrous, improves complexion, and prevents aging.
Tao Hongjing said: Soaked in wine and applied to the face, it makes the complexion fair and pleasing. It lightens the body, benefits qi, treats heart and abdominal pain, yellowing of the face and eyes, and the vomiting out of five types of intestinal parasites from the mouth in adults and children (*Bielu*). It treats erysipelas and wind-rash, residual heat in the abdomen, and difficulty in urination and defecation (Li Cangqi). Leprosy caused by severe wind (Li Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Li Shizhen said: In ancient times, bee larvae were used as food, hence their efficacy is recorded in *Shennong Bencao Jing* and *Bielu*. To treat severe wind diseases, various bee larvae are used together, suggesting they are herbs pertaining to the Foot-Yangming Stomach meridian and Foot-Taiyin Spleen meridian.
[Prescriptions] One new prescription.
For leprosy caused by severe wind, where eyebrows and beard have fallen out, and skin and flesh have rotted into sores: Use 1 fen each of bee larvae, hornet larvae, and wasp larvae (all stir-fried); 1 liang each of white-banded snake, dark snake (both soaked in wine, skin and bones removed, dried by roasting), full scorpion (earth removed, stir-fried), and white silkworm (stir-fried); 0.5 liang of earthworm (earth removed, stir-fried); 15 pieces each of gecko (whole, stir-fried) and red-legged centipede (whole, stir-fried); 1 liang of cinnabar; 1 fen of realgar (boiled with vinegar); 0.5 qian of borneol. Grind all into powder. Take 1 qian bi per dose, mixed with warm honey water, taken 3 to 5 times daily. (*Taiping Zonglu*)