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(Compendium of Materia Medica)
[Indications] Moxibustion can treat various diseases. If moxibustion is used to treat various wind-cold disorders, adding a small amount of sulfur powder yields superior results (Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Shizhen stated: When performing moxibustion with mugwort fire, it is appropriate to use a Yang Sui (bronze concave mirror for catching sunlight) or Huo Zhu (fire pearl/lens) to catch sunlight and obtain the true fire of the sun. Secondly, drilling wood to ignite locust tree fire is also good. If urgent preparation is difficult, one may use a pure sesame oil lamp or candle flame, igniting the mugwort stem as a moxa cone, keeping the moxa sore moistened until healing occurs without pain. Fires generated by striking metal, hitting stones, or drilling wood into timber should not be used. Shao Yong said: Fire has no fixed form; it takes form through objects. The fire from metals and stones is more intense than that from grasses and trees, which is correct. Among the fires of eight types of wood: pine fire makes healing difficult; cypress fire damages the spirit and causes excessive sweating; mulberry fire damages muscles; tzu wood fire damages qi and vessels; jujube fire damages the interior causing hematemesis; orange wood fire damages Ying and Wei (nutritive and defensive qi) and collaterals; elm fire damages bones and causes loss of willpower; bamboo fire damages sinews and harms the eyes. The "Book of Southern Qi" records that during the reign of Emperor Wu, a monk brought "Red Fire" from Northern Qi. This fire was redder but smaller than ordinary fire, claimed to cure illnesses, and was sought after by people of all ranks. After seven moxa cones were applied, most cases showed efficacy. Yang Daoqing from Wuxing suffered from deficiency disorders for twenty years and was cured immediately after this treatment. It was universally called "Holy Fire," and although an imperial edict forbade it, the practice could not be stopped. It is unknown what substance produces this fire.
[Appendix] Yang Sui: Shizhen stated: It is a fire mirror. Cast from copper, its surface is concave. When rubbed to generate heat and held towards the sun, holding mugwort against it yields fire. In the "Rites of Zhou," the official Si Xuan obtained bright fire from the sun using a fire drill, referring to this.
Huo Zhu: See under Crystal (Shuijing) in the Stone category.

(Compendium of Materia Medica)
[Indications] Cold pain in the heart and abdomen, Bi syndrome due to wind-cold-dampness, Yin abscesses adhering to bones, and any hidden pain in the sinews and bones. Using needle-fire therapy, the fire energy reaches the disease site directly, yielding high efficacy (Shizhen).
[Elucidation] Shizhen stated: For Shen Zhen Huo (Divine Needle Fire), on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, select peach branches growing eastward, carve them into wooden needles, sized like a chicken egg, five to six cun long, and dry them. To use, place three to five layers of cotton paper on the affected area, dip the needle in sesame oil, ignite it, extinguish the flame, and while hot, prick the affected area. There is also the Lei Huo Shen Zhen (Thunder Divine Needle) method: take one liang of prepared Qimo mugwort powder, along with one qian each of Frankincense (Ruxiang), Myrrh (Moyao), Pangolin scales (Chuanshanjia), Sulfur (Liuhuang), Realgar (Xionghuang), Aconitum kusnezoffii root (Caowutou), Aconitum carmichaelii root (Chuanwutou), and peach bark powder, plus half a qian of Musk (Shexiang). Grind into powder, mix with mugwort, roll tightly in thick paper strips like a finger, three to four cun long, store in a bottle, and bury underground for seventy-seven days before retrieving. To use, ignite on a lamp, extinguish the flame, place ten layers of paper between the needle and skin, and while hot, prick the affected area. The heat enters the disease site directly, with even faster efficacy. Cold water must be avoided.