典藏书目

(Fifteen types, with eight attached)

Su Yanwo (Plain Bird's Nest)
Also known as Yan Cai Shu (Swallow Vegetable). Cong Xin records: It is produced in the coastal areas of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. Swallows catch small fish and build nests with them in spring, which are then collected by humans. *Min Xiao Ji* states:
Swallows catch small fish and adhere them to rocks; over time, these form nests. There are three colors: black, white, and red. The black variety is of the lowest quality, while the red one is the rarest and can benefit children suffering from smallpox/rash diseases. The white variety can cure phlegm-related illnesses. *Quan Nan Za Zhi* states: In the distant seas near foreign lands in Fujian, there is a swallow named Jin Si (Golden Thread). Its head and tail resemble a swallow but are very small, and its feathers are like golden threads. When laying eggs and raising young, they fly in flocks near sandy mud areas with stones, pecking at and eating silkworm snails. On the back of the silkworm snail meat, there are two tendons like mulberry silk, hard, clean, and white. Eating it can tonify deficiency and damage, and cure dysentery and consumption syndromes. After this swallow eats the snail, the flesh is digested but the tendon is not. Along with saliva, it is vomited out, condensing into small nests attached to rocks. Over time, these grow with the chicks until they spread their wings and fly. Seaside people collect them according to the season, hence the name "Bird's Nest." Thus, its shape, function, timing, and species are all credible. *Ling Nan Za Ji* states: There are several types of bird's nest. Japan uses it as a vegetable for monks. This is when sea swallows eat insects on the coast; the insects have tendons on their backs that do not digest. The swallows spit these out to form nests, attaching them to the cliffs of sea mountains. Locals climb ropes to collect them. Those collected in spring are white, those in summer are yellow. They should not be collected in autumn or winter, as doing so leaves the swallows without shelter, causing them to freeze to death, resulting in no nests the following year. *Xiang Zu Bi Ji* states: Purple-colored bird's nest is especially good. *Ya Zhou Zhi* states: On the stone islands in the sea of Yazhou, there is a Dai Mao Mountain, whose caves are all nesting sites for swallows. The larger swallows are size of crows; after eating fish, they spit out saliva to prepare food for molting in winter. Locals wear leather clothes and hats, carrying torches to explore the caves. Startled swallows attack people; the elderly or weak may fall off cliffs and die. Hence, some harvest much, while others return empty-handed. This is the "vegetable from swallow nests." *Yue Lu* states: On seaside rocks, there is Hai Fen (Sea Powder), accumulating like moss. Swallows peck and eat it, spitting it out to form nests, hanging densely between rock walls. Islanders wait until they leave in autumn, using long poles with shovels to collect them. Hai Fen is cold in nature, but becomes warm after being ingested and regurgitated by swallows; Hai Fen is salty in taste, but becomes sweet after processing by swallows. Its form and substance are completely transformed, thus it can clear phlegm and stimulate appetite. Generally, there are black and white varieties; the red one is rare, likely because swallows belong to Fire, and red represents their essence. Also called Yan Shu (Swallow Vegetable), because it supplements what plants lack, hence "Vegetable." Yu Rou (Elm Meat) is produced in the North, Yan Wo in the South; both are vegetables. *Huan You Bi Ji* states: Bird's nest is produced in Nanyang, Japan, and other countries. Those collected in spring with white color are superior; those collected in autumn with yellow color are secondary. A slightly black and hairy variety is what remains after selection, and its price cannot be cheap. People with lung deficiency and weakness who take it for a long time can also moisten the lungs and stop coughing, with effects equal to Ren Shen (Ginseng) and Fu Ling (Poria). *Cha Pu Ji Wen* states: Southern swallows returning to overseas waters find it difficult to reach, so they peck small fish meat to make nests, holding them in their mouths while flying. When tired, they drop into the water within the nest, rest on top, recover slightly, and fly again holding the nest. Thus, during southeast winds, they drift close to the shore, allowing people to collect them. Ruan Kuisheng's *Cha Yu Ke Hua* states: Xu Qingyan (Song Ji), Fang Bo, told me: Bird's nest is produced in islands, among deep rocks and valleys, inaccessible by foot strength or rope/poles. Merchants raise small monkeys that understand human intent. They go to the island mountains, tie small cloth bags on the monkeys' backs, release them to climb trees and deep rocks, strip the nests, and fill the bags before returning. When the monkey leaves, it suffers from hunger and returns after three or four days. Sea travelers fill the bag with fruit snacks to prevent starvation during long trips. Clumsy monkeys immediately strip and fill the bag upon leaving; upon return, pouring out the bag yields only a few pieces because the snacks occupy space. Clever monkeys pour the snacks into the rock crevices, strip and fill the bag completely with bird's nest, return empty-handed, and go again, which is more convenient. One monkey costs hundreds of taels of gold, several times the price of a clumsy one. He also said: Xu Jinzhai Huang Men ate sugarcane juice and a large cup of bird's nest every morning upon rising, aiming for a melted and soft consistency, stating that others eat it raw, leading to no urination throughout the day.

Taste is sweet, bland, and neutral. It greatly nourishes Lung Yin, resolves phlegm, stops coughing, tonifies while clearing, and is a holy medicine for regulating deficiency and consumption syndromes. All diseases caused by Lung deficiency failing to descend clearly and turbidly can be treated with this; it opens the stomach qi, cures labor dysentery, benefits children's rashes, can be added to decoctions, or boiled alone for juice consumption. Cong Xin states: Nowadays, people use it to cook porridge or boil it with chicken broth. Although delicious, this disrupts its original nature of clearing and tonifying, how can it resolve phlegm? Some boil it with Bing Tang (Rock Sugar), making it sweet and cloying, how can it assist Lung Metal in descending clearly and turbidly? *Wu Li Xiao Shi* states: Bird's nest can stop frequent urination. *Feng Yuan* states: Sweet, neutral, non-toxic. Birds carry Hai Fen to make nests, obtaining the yang energy of wind and sun, transforming salty-cold into sweet-neutral. This promotes the mutual generation of Metal and Water, allowing Kidney Qi to nourish the Lungs from above, and Stomach Qi to find peace. It is the most gentle and benign among foods, unfortunately not收录 in Ben Cao (Materia Medica) and rarely used in Fang Shu (Formulary Books). Nowadays, people use it to regulate and tonify deficiency-consumption with coughing up red phlegm, often cooking it with Rock Sugar, frequently achieving efficacy. However, it is suitable only for early and mild conditions. If Yin fire is flourishing and blood is rushing upward, even using it will not help, due to its soft and yielding nature lacking firmness. Zhang Shiwen states: For sudden onset of coughing and hemoptysis that has just stopped, boil Bing Tang with Yan Wo Cai (Bird's Nest Vegetable) and take continuously, taking advantage of its balanced tonification of Lung and Stomach without the risk of stopping flow abruptly; however, for those with phlegm-dampness in the Stomach, it causes nausea because its sweetness and greasiness cling to the diaphragm. *Shi Wu Yi Ji* states: It strengthens Yang, boosts Qi, harmonizes the middle, opens the stomach, adds essence and marrow, moistens the lungs, stops chronic diarrhea, and eliminates phlegm-saliva. *Ling Nan Za Ji* states: The red variety treats bloody dysentery; steamed with pear and Rock Sugar, it treats phlegm in the chest/diaphragm.
He Huichuan states: For chronic vomiting due to Fan Wei (Reversal Stomach), some have recovered by consuming Human Milk and eating much bird's nest.

Elderly Phlegm-Asthma *Wen Tang Ji Yan Fang*: Use one Autumn White Pear (core removed), add one qian of Bird's Nest (soaked first in boiling water), then add one qian of Rock Sugar, steam until cooked. Take every morning without interruption. Divine efficacy.

Jin Kou Li (Aphagic Dysentery) *Jiu Sheng Ku Hai*: Two qian of White Bird's Nest, four fen of Ren Shen (Ginseng), seven parts water. Steam over water until cooked. Eat slowly. Immediate effect.

Su Yanwo (Vegetarian Bird's Nest) *Yue Hu Bi Sou*: Recently, a type of Su Yanwo has become popular in vegetarian cuisine, abundant in Ningbo foreign firms. It is white, slender, hollow, soft, and fragile, resembling thin strips in food shops, varying from seven or eight inches to a foot in length. It looks crystal clear, feels light and void in hand. About thirty-plus strands make a bundle. Chefs buy it; when poured with hot water, it swells. It coagulates white like Guan Yan (Official Bird's Nest), used as a delicacy in vegetarian dishes. Eating it is bland and flavorless. No one knows what it is made of. Some say it is made of glutinous rice flour and mountain valley materials; why does it become crisp and beautiful in boiling water? Others say it is the sprout of copper and lead, produced in deep mountains overseas, eating it can brighten the eyes. Recently, I learned that some use it, unsure if true. Attached for verification. *Bei Yan Shi Gui* has a method for making Su Yanwo: First, soak in warm water to extend, then immerse in boiled cold water. Wait until ingredients and side dishes are ready. Prepare in another pot, remove the Su Yanwo with a skimmer, rinse with boiling water two or three times over the skimmer. It is usable, soft but not mushy, semi-transparent.

Resolves tobacco smoke toxicity.