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The seeds of *Gleditsia sinensis* (Zaojia, 皂荚) are stir-fried, pounded to remove the red skin and kernels. The bones are soaked until soft, boiled thoroughly, then pickled with sugar for consumption. It is highly effective in unblocking wind-heat stagnation in the five zang organs (Five Zang Organs). If the pods are not plump and fat, they are slightly roasted and ground into powder; take one tael, add half a tael of raw alum powder and half a tael of calomel. In cases where wind-phlegm surges causing qi obstruction, mix with water and administer one or two qian. Once it passes the throat, phlegm must be vomited out. Whenever alum is used, its purpose is to separate and expel lower phlegm. Additionally, during summer damp-heat or prolonged rain, burning Zaojia together with *Atractylodes lancea* (Cangzhu, 苍术) can ward off epidemic pathogenic dampness.

The Classic states: "Bitter in taste." This refers to the willow that initially has yellow stamens. When its flowers dry up, catkins emerge, hence also called willow catkins. Collect them to apply to moxibustion sores or use as mattress padding. Connected beneath the catkins are small black seeds; they rise with the wind and sprout wherever there is moisture, similar to *Viola philippica* (Diding, 地丁), mostly growing naturally in courtyards without planting, much like willow catkins carrying seeds. Chen Cangqi's explanation is correct. However, ancients mistook catkins for flowers; Tao Hongjing also stated, "Flowers fly with the wind, resembling flying snow," which was an error. The Classic mentions fruit and seed juice, which various schools did not understand, and modern practitioners do not use them. (Buddhists refer to "the willow as the Nyagrodha tree, whose seeds are extremely fine, analogous to how a trivial false cause leads to a massive false effect," indicating these small black seeds rise due to wind.)

The annotations in the Classics do not specify which type of Paulownia (*Tong*, 桐) is meant, making practical application difficult. Here are four types of Tong, each with therapeutic uses, listed by their characteristics below: One is White Tong, suitable for carving lutes, with trifid leaves, white flowers, and no seeds. *Yaoxing Lun* states: "Bark treats five stranguries, washes hair, removes head wind, and promotes hair growth." Another is Ren Tong, which blooms pale red flowers early in spring, resembling soybean flowers, forming tube-like structures; seeds yield tung oil. *Ri Hua Zi* states: "Tung oil is cold-natured and slightly toxic." A third is Wutong, blooming pale yellow small flowers in April, identical to jujube flowers. Silk-like threads appear on branches, falling to the ground and becoming oily, staining clothes and shoes. In May and June, it bears Tong seeds, now stir-fried and eaten as snacks by people, which may stir up wind-pathogens. This is the species mentioned in *Yueling* as blooming at Qingming. The fourth is Gang Tong. It does not flower, is unsuitable for lute-making, and has heavy wood.