\r赤小豆\pq107a.bmp\r
能通心与小肠。行瘀利水。可排脓而散肿。治豉消瘅。味甘微酸。性平无毒。绿豆
甘寒专解毒。蠲除水热并和脾。其色可以入肝。其治似疑归胃。（赤小豆即今之杜赤豆。以
紧小色赤者为佳。今药店中之赤小豆。半红半黑。谓之相思子。即红豆也。有毒不堪用。杜
赤豆之性。甘酸而平。入心与小肠。功专消水行血。故内而水鼓血鼓。以及一切香港脚。外
而痈疽肿毒。或服或敷。皆有神效。然总不过消水行血之功。古人言其多食令人消瘦者。概
可想见矣。○绿豆味甘性寒。行水之功。相同赤豆。而清热解毒。惟此为胜。故一切丹石诸
毒。皆可解之。且能浓肠胃。非如赤豆之能令人消瘦也。）
\r扁豆\pq107.bmp\r
味属甘平。消暑益脾兼解毒。功归胃腑。升清降浊并和中。花堪治痢以疏邪。皮可达
饥而行水。（扁豆味甘平无毒。能养胃健脾。脾胃得治。则清浊可分。吐利可愈。凡夏月所
生之物。皆能解暑。故又可以之解暑也。花性相同。赤者入血分而宣瘀。白者入气分而行气
。凡花皆散。故可清暑散邪。以治夏月泄痢等证。皮以行皮。类相从耳。）
\r麦芽\pq108.bmp\r
其味甘咸。能温胃助脾。消磨谷食。其功克化。去面停乳积。浊阻瘀留。（麦芽味甘
咸。性温。入脾胃。能消能磨。化一切米面诸谷食积。凡瘀留浊垢等物。皆可化之。观造饴
糖家用之。即可想见矣。若无积者用之。恐削人元气耳。孕妇忌之。）
赤小豆
能够通利心经与小肠经。具有行血化瘀、利尿消肿的功效。可以排脓并消散肿毒。治疗因豆豉引起的消渴病（多饮多尿）。味道甘甜略带酸味，性质平和，无毒。
绿豆
味甘性寒，专门用于解毒。能清除水湿与热邪，并调和脾胃。其颜色对应肝脏，其功效看似归属于胃腑。（赤小豆即现在的杜赤豆，以颗粒紧小、颜色鲜红者为佳。现在药店中售卖的赤小豆，半红半黑，被称为相思子，也就是红豆，是有毒的，不可使用。杜赤豆的性质甘酸而平和，入心经和小肠经，功效专于消除水肿和行血，因此对于内部的水鼓胀、血鼓胀，以及所有的香港脚（足部肿胀疼痛），外部的痈疽肿毒，无论是内服还是外敷，都有显著疗效。然而这不过是消除水肿和行血的功效罢了。古人说多吃使人消瘦，大概可以由此想见。○绿豆味甘性寒，利水的功效与赤小豆相同，但在清热解毒方面，只有它更胜一筹。所以一切丹石类药物中毒，都可以用它来解。而且它能滋润肠胃，不像赤小豆那样能使人消瘦。）
扁豆
味道属于甘平。能消暑、益脾兼解毒。功效归于胃腑，能升清降浊并调和脾胃。扁豆花可以用来治疗痢疾并疏散邪气。扁豆皮可以缓解饥饿感并促进水液运行。（扁豆味甘平，无毒，能养胃健脾。脾胃得到调理，则清浊之气可以分开，呕吐和下利可以痊愈。凡是夏季生长的万物，都能解暑，所以也可以用扁豆来解暑。扁豆花的性质相同，红色的入血分而宣散瘀血，白色的入气分而行气。凡是花朵都具有发散的特性，所以可以清暑散邪，用于治疗夏季的泄泻痢疾等证候。扁豆皮作用于皮肤，是同类相从的道理。）
麦芽
味道甘咸，能够温胃助脾，消磨谷物食物。其功效在于消化。去除面部的停滞和乳汁积滞，化解浊气阻滞和瘀血停留。（麦芽味甘咸，性温，入脾胃经，既能消食又能磨积，能化解各种米面及谷物的食积。凡是瘀留的浊垢等物，都可以化解。看制作饴糖的人如何使用它，就可以想见了。如果没有积滞而使用它，恐怕会损伤人的元气。孕妇忌用。）
Red Adzuki Bean (Chi Xiao Dou)
Can unblock the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. Promotes blood circulation to remove stasis and promotes urination to reduce edema. Can discharge pus and dissipate swelling. Treats polydipsia (Xiao Dao, characterized by excessive thirst and urination) caused by fermented soybean (Dou Chi). Flavor is sweet with a slight sourness. Nature is neutral, non-toxic.
Green Mung Bean (Lu Dou)
Flavor is sweet, nature is cold. Specifically detoxifies. Eliminates water-dampness and heat, harmonizes the Spleen. Its color corresponds to the Liver. Its therapeutic action seems to be attributed to the Stomach. (Red Adzuki Bean refers to Du Chi Dou in modern times; those that are tight, small, and red are considered superior. The "Chi Xiao Dou" sold in pharmacies today is half-red and half-black, known as Xiang Si Zi or Red Bean, which is toxic and unsuitable for use. The nature of Du Chi Dou is sweet, sour, and neutral. It enters the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. Its function specializes in eliminating water retention and promoting blood circulation. Therefore, internally for water distension (Shui Gu), blood distension (Xue Gu), and all forms of Hong Kong Foot (podagra/edema of the feet); externally for carbuncles, sores, swelling, and toxins, whether taken orally or applied topically, it has miraculous effects. However, this is merely the effect of eliminating water and promoting blood circulation. The ancient saying that eating too much causes emaciation can be inferred from this. ○ Green Mung Bean is sweet in flavor and cold in nature. Its diuretic effect is similar to that of the Red Bean, but in clearing heat and detoxifying, it excels. Thus, it can resolve various poisons from cinnabar and minerals (Dan Shi). Moreover, it can nourish the intestines and stomach, unlike the Red Bean which causes emaciation.)
Hyacinth Bean / Lablab Bean (Bian Dou)
Flavor is sweet and neutral. Clears summerheat, benefits the Spleen, and detoxifies. Its function returns to the Stomach Fu organ, ascending the clear and descending the turbid, and harmonizing the middle Jiao. The flower can treat dysentery and disperse pathogenic factors. The skin can relieve hunger and promote water metabolism. (Hyacinth bean is sweet, neutral, and non-toxic. It can nourish the Stomach and strengthen the Spleen. When the Spleen and Stomach are regulated, clear and turbid qi can be separated, and vomiting and diarrhea can be cured. All things born in summer can clear summerheat, so Hyacinth bean can also be used for this purpose. The flower has the same nature. Those that are red enter the Blood level to disperse stasis; those that are white enter the Qi level to move Qi. Since all flowers have dispersing properties, they can clear summerheat and disperse pathogens, treating conditions such as summer diarrhea and dysentery. The skin acts on the skin, following the principle of similarity.)
Malt (Mai Ya)
Flavor is sweet and salty. Can warm the Stomach and assist the Spleen. Dissolves grain food. Its power lies in digestion. Removes stagnation of flour and accumulation of milk. Resolves turbidity obstruction and stasis retention. (Malt is sweet and salty, warm in nature. Enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It can digest and grind, resolving all accumulations of rice, wheat, and other grains. Any turbid filth or stasis retained can be resolved. One can infer this from how maltose syrup is produced. If used without stagnation, it may damage the body's Yuan Qi. Contraindicated in pregnancy.)