Illustration of cooking-liquid water (chuitang shui) 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.
Cooking-liquid water is the liquid left in the pot after boiling or steaming food. The text states: If one uses cooking-liquid water to wash one's face in the morning, one will lose one's good looks. If one uses it to bathe one's body, one is liable to contract ringworm.
