Compendium of Medicinal Substances, Volume 33

It is truly the point where the fruit attaches to the vine. The Book of Rites original: 禮記 (Liji); one of the core texts of the Confucian canon, detailing social forms and ceremonies. mentions peeling melons for the Son of Heaven and using melons in sacrifices; both of these refer to the "fruit melon" variety. The "Melon Pedicle" The stalk or base where the fruit joins the stem. mentioned in the Materia Medica likewise refers specifically to the stalk of this sweet melon.

Collected Explanations

The Bielu original: 別錄 (Miscellaneous Records), an early pharmaceutical text compiled by Tao Hongjing. states: Melon stalks are found in the marshes of Mount Songgao Mount Song in Henan Province, one of the Five Sacred Mountains of China.. They should be harvested on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month and dried in the shade.

Su Song A Song Dynasty statesman and scientist (1020–1101) known for his work on herbalism and horology. says: The "Melon Pedicle" is simply the stalk of the sweet melon. It is found everywhere, planted in gardens and fields. There are two varieties, green and white, though the seeds of both are yellow. For medicinal use, the stalks from the early-ripening green melons are considered the best quality.

Li Shizhen says: Sweet melons are planted in great abundance throughout the northern territories and the Central Plains. They are sown in the second or third months. The plants grow as spreading vines with leaves several inches across. In the fifth or sixth months, yellow flowers bloom, and by the sixth or seventh months, the melons are ripe. Their varieties are extremely numerous. In shape, they may be round, long, pointed, or flat; some are as large as a foot in diameter, while others are small enough to be held in a single pinch. Some have ridges, while others are smooth. Their colors range from blue-green and green to yellow-spotted or white-streaked. The inner flesh may be white or red, and the seeds may be yellow, crimson, white, or black.

According to Wang Zhen’s Book of Agriculture: The varieties of melons are too many to list individually. Some are named for their shapes, such as "Dragon Liver," "Tiger Paw," "Rabbit Head," "Raccoon Head," "Sheep Marrow," and "Honey Tube." Others are named for their colors, such as the "Black Melon," "White Round," "Yellow-Flesh," "White-Flesh," "Small Green," and "Large Speckle." However, regardless of the name, their flavor never strays from being sweet and fragrant. The Guangzhi original: 廣志 (Comprehensive Records), a geography and natural history text from the Jin Dynasty. claims that only melons from Liaodong, Dunhuang, and Lujiang are superior. However, one cannot easily rank the "Large Melons" of Guazhou, the "Imperial Melons" of Yangcheng, the "Warm Melons" of Western Shu, or the "Cold Melons" of Yongjia as better or worse. The sweet melons of Gansu have skin and flesh that are both as sweet as malt syrup or honey; even after the skin is dried in the sun, it remains delicious. There is also a variety in Zhejiang...