Chinese Materia Dietetica, Ming: Hailstones

Illustration depicting the collection of hailstones from Shiwu bencao (Materia dietetica), a dietetic herbal in four volumes dating from the Ming period (1368-1644). The identity of the author and artists is unknown. It contains entries on over 300 medicinal substances and is illustrated by almost 500 paintings in colour. The illustration shows a hailstorm. One man is holding up a large tray to catch the hailstones, while another man is storing them in a jar. The text states: Hail water is of indeterminate sapor. 1-2 sheng (1 sheng = c. 1 litre) can be collected at a time and stored in an urn; the original sapor alters during storage. Yinshi xuzhi by the Yuan author Gu Ming notes, 'If one eats hailstones, it will certainly bring on pestilence (wenyi) and wind madness (fengdian). The liquid is of indeterminate sapor. One or two litres are collected and stored in an urn; its original sapor then changes'.

Hail water (baoshui)