Library

All harvesting seasons follow the calendar where Jianyin month (the first month of the lunar year) is the beginning of the year, adhering to records after the Han Taichu era. Root medicines are mostly harvested in February or August because in early spring, sap begins to sprout but has not yet rushed into branches and leaves, resulting in rich and concentrated medicinal power; by autumn, when branches and leaves dry up, sap flows back and gathers at the roots. Verification shows that spring harvesting should be early, and autumn harvesting should be late, while flowers, fruits, stems, and leaves are harvested according to their respective maturity.

Ancient weighing systems only had units of Zhu (铢) and Liang (两), without "Fen" (分). Currently, ten grains of millet weigh one Zhu, six Zhu make one Fen, four Fen make one Liang, and sixteen Liang make one Jin (斤). Although there are regulations regarding grain weights, standards have been unified for a long time, so we now use this directly. The term "equal parts" (等分) in modern prescriptions does not refer to the weight unit "Fen," but means various drugs are used in equal amounts. One must first assess the severity of the illness and then estimate the dosage accordingly. Such methods apply to pills (丸) and powders (散), which strictly follow these measures, whereas decoctions (汤) and wines (酒) do not use "equal parts."

For powders, "Dao Gui" (刀圭) refers to one-tenth of a "Fang Cun Bi" (方寸匕 - a square-inch spoon), roughly the size of a Sophora japonica seed (Wutongzi). A Fang Cun Bi is made square, one inch per side, filled with dried powder without spilling. "Five-Qian Bi" uses the edge of a five-Zhu coin marked with "five" to scoop powder, also without spilling. One "Cuo" (撮) equals four Dao Gui, ten Cuo equal one Shao (勺), and ten Shao equal one He (合). If measuring by volume using a Yao Sheng (药升 - medicine measure), it is because drugs vary in density and weight, making mass measurement impractical. The Yao Sheng has an upper diameter of one inch, lower diameter of six fen, and depth of eight fen. Powder should not be pressed down but leveled by gentle shaking. "Yi Zi" (一字) weighs two-and-a-half Fen; "Shao Xu" (少许) is half a Zi.

For pills, "Xi Ma" (细麻) refers to the size of Sesamum indicum seeds (Huma). They need not be flat, just roughly proportional. Similar rules apply to Setaria italica and Panicum miliaceum seeds. Sixteen millet grains equal one large soybean. One hemp seed equals three fine sesame seeds. Hu Dou (胡豆) refers to Vicia faba var. minor (Qingbandou), equivalent to two hemp seeds. Xiao Dou (小豆) refers to Phaseolus angularis (Chixiaodou); three hemp seeds equal one small bean. One large soybean equals two small beans. One Wutongzi (Sophora japonica seed) equals two large soybeans. One Fang Cun Bi of powder mixed with honey yields pills the size of Wutongzi, with ten pills as a standard limit. Pill sizes like pellets or egg yolks are standardized by ten Wutongzi-sized pills.

Old prescriptions for decoctions, wines, and plasters often mention "Ju" (咀), meaning crushing ingredients to soybean size and blowing off fine dust. This is impractical due to varying fragility and dust production, leading to uneven dosages. Now, ingredients are finely chopped to resemble "Ju," ensuring uniform particle size without excessive dust.

Pills and powders require chopping and drying before grinding. Some are ground separately, others together, as directed. Wet herbs like Asparagi Radix (Tianmendong) and Rehmanniae Radix Preparata (Gan Dihuang) must be processed... [Text fragment missing]. Wet herbs lose significant weight when dried; thus, initial quantities must be increased to account for loss before weighing. This precaution is unnecessary for decoctions and wines.

Heavy, fine silk is used for sifting pill powders to ensure smoothness for honey pills. Light, coarse silk is used for herbal powders intended for wine consumption to prevent turbidity. Stone minerals are also sifted through fine silk to achieve pill-like fineness.

After sifting, pill and powder ingredients should be returned to the mortar and pounded hundreds of times until color and texture are uniform.

Stone minerals in decoctions, wines, and plasters must be finely crushed to millet size, sifted through kudzu cloth, and wrapped in new cotton before boiling. Minerals like Realgar (Xionghuang) and Cinnabar (Zhusha) should be powdered like flour.

Decoctions should be simmered gently until bubbling. Water ratios generally dictate one dou of water for twenty liang of herb, yielding four sheng of liquid. Purgative decoctions use less water for higher concentration; tonic decoctions use more water for milder extraction. Strain through fresh cloth wrung with a wooden rod to clarify.

Dosage instructions like "divide into two or three doses" allow flexibility based on patient strength and disease severity, rather than rigid adherence to the prescription.

Medicinal wines require finely chopped herbs in raw silk bags, sealed, and steeped for days depending on weather, until potent enough to filter. Residues can be dried, slightly crushed, and re-steeped.

Residues from tonics like Jianzhong Tang or Shenli Tang can be combined, boiled down, and consumed, equivalent to a new dose, especially for cost-saving purposes. Ingredients should be dried first.

Plaster preparation involves soaking in vinegar (Ku Jiu) to saturate ingredients, covered tightly. "Zhou Shi" means 24 hours. Boiling requires "three ups and three downs" to release heat and extract flavors. Boil until bubbling, remove from heat, let cool, and repeat. Scallion whites are ready when tips turn yellow; Angelica dahurica (Baizhi) and Aconitum carmichaelii (Fuzi) when slightly yellow. Lard should not touch water; winter lard is best. Filter through new cloth. Internal plaster residues can be boiled in wine; external plaster residues can be applied topically to maximize efficacy.

Minerals like Realgar and Cinnabar in plasters must be finely ground separately and added after filtering the base, stirring rapidly to prevent settling.

Rhubarb (Dahuang) in decoctions/wines need not be finely cut. Soak overnight, boil next morning, add hot, boil briefly, and strain for strong purgative effect. In pills/powders, steaming is no longer required.

Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang) in decoctions must be boiled separately for 2-3 boils to remove foam, replenish water, then add other herbs to prevent irritability. Remove nodes, cut into cun segments. Euphrasiae Herba (Xiaocao) and Lychnidis Herba (Qumai) cut to 5 fen; Asari Radix (Xixin) and Bupleuri Radix (Baiqian) to 3 fen. For pills/powders, cut finely.

Whole ingredients like dried dates (Dazao), Gardeniae Fructus (Zhizi), and Trichosanthis Fructus (Gualou) must be broken. Small pits like Corni Fructus (Shanzhuyu) and Schisandrae Fructus (Wuweizi) should be cracked. Fine flowers/seeds like Inulae Flos (Xuanfuhua) and Chrysanthemi Flos (Juhua) are used whole. Grains are used whole. Insects are lightly roasted; Oligosaccharide (Piaoxiao) split and roasted. Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens (Shengjiang) and Belamcandae Rhizoma (Shegan) thinly sliced. Natrii Sulfas (Mangxiao), Maltose (Yitang), and Colla Corii Asini (Ejiao) are dissolved in finished decoction by reheating.

Ophiopogonis Radix (Maidong) is moistened and de-heart-ed. Prunus armeniaca kernel (Xingren) and Persicae Semen (Taoren) are soaked in hot water, rubbed to remove skins. Crotonis Fructus (Badou) is cracked, skinned, and de-heart-ed to avoid stuffiness. Pyrrhosae Folium (Shiwei) and Magnoliae Flos (Xinyi) are de-haired. Arisaematis Rhizoma (Lilu) roots are scraped and lightly roasted. Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Zhishi) pulp is removed and roasted. Piperis Fructus (Jiao) is roasted in a pan until sweating. Alum (Fanshi) is boiled in clay/iron until dry. Stone minerals are earth-wrapped and calcined. Rhinocerotis Cornu (Xijiao) and Saigae Tataricae Cornu (Lingyangjiao) are shaved to flakes. Teeth/bones are roasted and crushed. Gleditsiae Sinensis Fructus (Zaojia) is de-skinned, de-seeded, and roasted.

Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi), Aconiti Radix (Wutou), etc., are processed in ash until slightly cracked, black skin removed, then weighed. Fresh use in Jiangfu Tang or plasters/wines requires peeling. Break into 7-8 slices, removing black tips. Pinelliae Rhizoma (Banxia) is used whole, washed in hot water to remove slipperiness, rubbed until skin releases, rinsed repeatedly (6-7 times sufficient) or boiled briefly with water changes, then dried and sliced. For pills/plasters, dry completely before weighing.

Colla Corii Asini (Ejiao) is roasted until bubbling throughout, dried, then ground. Beeswax (La) is melted and mixed with honey for pills. Prepared Artemisia argyi (Shuai Ai) is torn fine and mixed; non-siftable parts are ground separately. Honey is boiled to remove foam until light yellow for better preservation; amount depends on purity.

Crotonis Fructus (Badou), Prunus armeniaca kernel, Persicae Semen, Lepidii Semen (Tingli), Sesamum indicum, and oily herbs are roasted yellow-black, ground to paste, mixed with existing powder, sifted through fine silk, and pounded hundreds of times. In decoctions/plasters, they may be roasted or raw-crushed.

Cinnamomi Cortex (Guixin), Polygalae Radix (Nongpu), Eucommiae Cortex (Duzhong), Phellodendri Cortex (Qinpi), and Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex (Mulan) have soft outer layers removed; fragrant inner bark is weighed. Polyporus (Fuling) and Poria (Zhuling) have black skin removed. Paeoniae Radix Rubra (Mudan), Morinda officinalis (Bajitian), Polygala tenuifolia (Yuanzhi), and Aristolochia debilis (Yege) are crushed and de-heart-ed. Aster tataricus (Ziyuan) is washed free of soil. All weighed after processing. Scallion white (Xiebai) and green parts removed. Marsdeniae Tenacissima (Mangcao), Pyrrosiae Leaf (Shinan), Itea chinensis (Yinyu), and Lycopodium (Zelan)...

Wild Swallowwort Root (Yelangdu), Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Zhishi), Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Jupi), Pinelliae Rhizoma (Banxia), Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang), and Evodiae Fructus (Wuzhuyu) should be aged; others fresh.

Badou count varies by size; de-heart/skin before weighing (1 Fen = 16 seeds). Fuzi/Wutou: 0.5 Liang = 1 seed (after peeling). Zhishi: 1 Fen = 2 seeds (pulp removed). Jupi: 1 Fen = 3 pieces. Dazao: 3 pieces = 1 Liang. Ganjiang bundle: 1 Lei = 1 Liang.

Banxia 1 Sheng = 5 Liang (after washing). Shujiao 1 Sheng = 3 Liang. Wuzhuyu 1 Sheng = 5 Liang. Tusizi 1 Sheng = 9 [Li? Text unclear, implies specific weight]. Seeds vary in density; level volume is used if weight is inconsistent.

Guizhi 1 Chi = 0.5 Liang (peeled). Gancao 1 Chi = 2 Liang. Grass bundle = 3 Liang. Handful = 2 Liang. Honey 1 Jin = 7 He. Pig fat 1 Jin = 1 Sheng 2 He.

Seeds/kernels: remove husks, tips, and double kernels, then cut.

Wumei: remove pits, roast for pills. Dazao: break and remove pits.

Maiqu, Soybean Sprouts (Dadou Huangjuan), Lycopodium, Elsholtzia (Wuyi), Bombyx Batryticatus (Jiangcan), Dry Lacca (Ganqi), Vespa Nidus (Fengfang): lightly stir-fried.

Moschus (Shexiang), Rhinocerotis Cornu, Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum (Lujiaojia), Saigae Tataricae Cornu, Bovaris Calculus (Niuhuang), Pollen Typhae (Puhuang), Cinnabar (Dansha): finely powdered, added to decoction just before serving.

Fuling and Paeoniae Radix (Shaoyao): white for tonics, red for purgatives.

Shixie: hammer to powder before grinding. Niuxi and Dendrobii Caulis (Shihu): crush for decoctions/wines. Tusizi: wash sand with warm water, soak in warm wine overnight, drain, dry slightly, grind. Repeat soaking/grinding until fully processed.

Mylabris (Banmao) and insects: remove legs/wings, lightly roast. Ostrea Concha (Muli): roast until yellow.

Alcohol in decoctions: add near completion.

Silver powder: mix with mercury to form amalgam.

Gastrodiae Rhizoma (Zhongru) and stones: grind with jade pestle and water for 3 days/nights, wash until extremely fine.