Chinese sand pears are more effective for conditioning warm dryness
Dealing with "autumn dryness" is far more complex than a simple "moisturizing" approach, as autumn dryness can be either warm or cool in nature. According to Chen Yan, during the transition from summer to autumn, although the weather becomes drier, temperatures remain high. In some cities, temperatures can even suddenly rise, a phenomenon known as "Indian summer." During this period, autumn dryness is predominantly warm, manifesting as symptoms like a dry mouth with a preference for cold drinks, coughing with bloody sputum or nosebleeds, constipation, and a red tongue. For conditioning warm dryness, sand pears, which have strong heat-clearing and detoxifying properties, are a good choice. If you opt for duck pears or tribute pears, it's best to eat them raw, as "raw pears can clear the heat from the six fu-organs." If making a soup, Chen Yan suggests simmering them with cooling ingredients like Chuan Bei (Fritillaria) or Lo Han Guo to enhance the heat-clearing effect, rather than making a sugar syrup.
For cool dryness, cooked duck pears are most suitable
As autumn transitions to winter, temperatures drop significantly. At this time, dryness is predominantly cool, characterized by symptoms like a dry mouth without a desire to drink, or a preference for hot drinks, coughing with clear, thin sputum or no sputum, and a pale tongue with a dry coating. The principle for conditioning cool dryness is to choose warming and moistening foods. Cool sand pears are no longer suitable. Even with duck pears or tribute pears, it's advisable to eat them cooked. Cooking the pears reduces their cool nature, and "cooked pears can nourish the yin of the five zang-organs." You can simmer them with ingredients that strengthen the spleen and warm the middle jiao, such as red dates or lotus seeds, or use them to cook congee. These methods can achieve a moisturizing effect without being cooling.
Chen Yan also reminds us that while pears are fruits, they are inherently cool. The book "Ben Cao Yan Yi" (Commentary on the Materia Medica) mentions: "Pears, if eaten in excess, can harm the spleen; if eaten in small amounts, they will not cause illness." People with a weak spleen and stomach may experience diarrhea after eating pears, so they should not consume them in large amounts. For those with a weak spleen and stomach who need to relieve dryness, cooked pears (in sugar syrup or soups) are the better option.