The Flesh

Treats bloody dysentery and detoxifies alcohol per Yuan Shen. Hold the juice in the mouth to treat mouth sores. per Heng Zhen

Expositions

Wang Ying says: The watermelon is cold in nature and relieves heat; it is known by the name "Nature’s White Tiger Decoction." original: "天生白虎湯" (Tiansheng Baihu Tang). The White Tiger Decoction is a famous, potent classical formula used to clear high fever and extreme heat from the body. However, it should not be eaten in excess. Li Shizhen says: Both watermelons and muskmelons are raw and cold. Most people think of them as "pouring clarified butter over the head" or "sprinkling nectar upon the heart"—seeking a moment of cooling pleasure. They do not realize the harm these fruits do by injuring the spleen and encouraging the accumulation of dampness. Zhen Xishan A famous Southern Song dynasty scholar and official. wrote in his Song of Hygiene: "Melons and peaches are raw and cold and should be eaten sparingly, to avoid getting malaria or dysentery when autumn comes." This is quite true. Furthermore, Li Yanfei’s Book of Lengthening Life records that Chen Fengyuan, the Governor of Fangzhou, ate too many melons while escaping the summer heat. By the time autumn arrived, he suddenly suffered such pain in his waist and legs that he could not move. He was finally cured by an Assistant Instructor named Shang. These are all the perils of eating too much melon. I have collected these accounts here to serve as a warning. Additionally, Hong Zhongxuan’s Records of the Piney Deserts original: "松漠紀聞" (Songmo Jiwen); a 12th-century text describing the customs and geography of Northern China under the Jin dynasty. mentions a person suffering from an eye ailment; someone told him to slice watermelon, dry the pieces in the sun, and eat them daily. He was eventually cured. This is because the fruit’s cold nature causes "fire" In Chinese medicine, "fire" refers to inflammatory or hyperactive states in the body. to descend.

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The Rind

Nature and Flavor

Sweet, cooling, and non-toxic.

Primary Indications

Treats sores inside the mouth, on the tongue, or on the lips. Burn the rind, grind it into a powder, and hold it in the mouth. per Heng Zhen

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Appended Prescriptions Two new ones

Lower back pain from strains or sprains

Take the green rind of a watermelon, dry it in the shade, and grind it into a powder. Mix three mace A "mace" (qian) is a traditional unit of weight, roughly 3.7 grams. with salt and wine, and consume. From Many Wondrous Prescriptions for Sustaining Life.

Overconsumption of melon

per Heng Zhen The text likely implies a remedy follows or refers back to the warnings in the "Expositions" section regarding digestive distress.