〔 曰〕凡采得银州柴胡,去须及头,用银刀削去赤薄皮少许,以粗布拭尽,锉用。勿
令犯火,立便无效也。
〔 曰〕修事先用刀刮去苍黑皮并髭土了,细锉,以甜竹沥浸令润,日中晒干用。
〔 曰〕采得细锉,以淫羊藿拌, 二日,曝干去藿,用,免烦人心。〔时珍曰〕此乃
服食家治法,寻常去皮或焙用尔。
〔 曰〕采得刮去粗皮,用黄精自然汁浸一宿。曝干,锉蒸再曝用。〔时珍曰〕今人惟
取里白外黑而紧实者,谓之鬼脸升麻,去须及头芦,锉用。
〔 曰〕采根,用糯米浓泔汁浸一宿,其腥秽气并浮在水面上,须重重淘过,即蒸之,
从巳至申,取晒切用。
〔 曰〕凡使,先于柳木灰中炮黄,擘破,去内口鼻中有米许大者心一颗,后拌糯米于
上同炒,待米黄,去米用。
〔 曰〕采得阴干。用时,铜刀切去须、土、头了,锉细,甘草汤浸一宿,漉出,曝干
用。
〔 曰〕凡使细辛,切去头、土了,以瓜水浸一宿,曝干用。须拣去双叶者,服之害人
〔 曰〕凡采得细锉,用生甘草水煮一伏时,日干用。
〔 曰〕凡采得粗杵,拌少蜜令遍,以瓷器盛,蒸三伏时,日干用。
[Original] When harvesting Silver Prefecture Bupleurum (Chaihu, 柴胡), remove the rootlets and the crown. Use a silver knife to scrape off a small amount of the thin red skin, wipe clean with coarse cloth, and chop for use. Do not expose it to fire, or it will immediately lose efficacy.
[Translation] Upon harvesting Bupleurum from Yinzhou (Silver Prefecture), remove the rootlets and the crown. Use a silver knife to scrape away a minimal amount of the thin reddish epidermis, wipe thoroughly with coarse cloth, and chop before use. Avoid exposure to heat/fire, as this will render it ineffective immediately.
[Original] For processing, first scrape off the dark blackish bark and soil attached to the rootlets with a knife, chop finely, soak in sweet bamboo sap until moist, dry in the sun, and use.
[Translation] During processing, first scrape off the dark, blackish outer bark and adhering soil using a knife. Chop finely, soak in sweet bamboo sap (Tian Zhuli, 甜竹沥) until moistened, dry under sunlight, and then use.
[Original] After harvesting, chop finely, mix with Epimedium (Yinyanghuo, 淫羊藿), leave for two days, sun-dry, remove the Epimedium, and use to avoid causing mental restlessness. [Shizhen said] This is a method used by those taking elixirs; ordinarily, one simply removes the skin or bakes it for use.
[Translation] After harvesting, chop finely and mix with Epimedium (Yinyanghuo, 淫羊藿). Leave the mixture for two days, sun-dry, then remove the Epimedium before use, to prevent inducing mental agitation. [Li Shizhen noted] This is a preparation method used by alchemists/consumers of elixirs; normally, one merely removes the skin or bakes the herb for use.
[Original] After harvesting, scrape off the rough bark, soak in the natural juice of Polygonatum (Huangjing, 黄精) overnight. Sun-dry, chop, steam, sun-dry again, and use. [Shizhen said] Nowadays, people only select those that are white inside, black outside, and dense, calling them "Ghost Face Cimicifuga" (Guilian Shengma, 鬼脸升麻). Remove the rootlets and the crown (Lu, 芦), chop, and use.
[Translation] After harvesting, scrape off the rough outer bark and soak overnight in the fresh juice of Rhizoma Polygonati (Huangjing, 黄精). Sun-dry, chop, steam, sun-dry again, and use. [Li Shizhen noted] Currently, practitioners only select specimens that are white internally, black externally, and compact, referring to them as "Ghost Face Cimicifuga" (Guilian Shengma, 鬼脸升麻). The rootlets and the crown (Lu, 芦) are removed, chopped, and used.
[Original] Harvest the roots, soak overnight in thick rice washing water. The fishy and foul odors will float on the surface. Must be washed repeatedly, then steamed from Si hour (9-11 AM) to Shen hour (3-5 PM), taken out, dried, chopped, and used.
[Translation] Harvest the roots and soak overnight in thick rice-washing water. The fishy and foul odors will rise to the surface. The roots must be rinsed repeatedly, then steamed from the Si hour (09:00–11:00) to the Shen hour (15:00–17:00). Afterward, take them out, dry, chop, and use.
[Original] For use, first roast in willow ash until yellow, break open, remove the core about the size of a rice grain found in the inner mouth/nose, then mix with glutinous rice and stir-fry together. Wait until the rice turns yellow, remove the rice, and use.
[Translation] For preparation, first roast in willow wood ash until yellow, break apart, and remove the central core, which is approximately the size of a rice grain located within the internal cavities. Then, mix with glutinous rice and stir-fry together. Once the rice turns yellow, discard the rice and use the herb.
[Original] Harvest and dry in the shade. For use, cut off rootlets, soil, and crown with a copper knife, chop finely, soak overnight in Licorice decoction, drain, sun-dry, and use.
[Translation] Harvest and dry in the shade. Before use, trim off the rootlets, soil, and crown with a copper knife, chop finely, soak overnight in a decoction of Glycyrrhiza (Gancao, 甘草), drain, sun-dry, and use.
[Original] For use of Asarum (Xixin, 细辛), cut off the head and soil, soak overnight in melon water, sun-dry, and use. Must select and remove the double-leaf variety, as consuming it harms humans.
[Translation] For the use of Asarum (Xixin, 细辛), remove the crown and soil, soak overnight in water infused with melon (likely Melon Seed or similar), sun-dry, and use. It is essential to select against and remove the double-leaf variety, as ingestion is harmful to humans.
[Original] After harvesting, chop finely, boil in raw Licorice water for one Fu period (approx. 2 hours), sun-dry, and use.
[Translation] After harvesting, chop finely and boil in a solution of raw Glycyrrhiza (Gancao, 甘草) for one Fu period (approximately two hours), sun-dry, and use.
[Original] After harvesting, coarsely pound, mix evenly with a small amount of honey, place in a porcelain vessel, steam for three Fu periods (approx. 6 hours), sun-dry, and use.
[Translation] After harvesting, coarsely pound the herb, mix uniformly with a small amount of honey, place in a porcelain container, steam for three Fu periods (approximately six hours), sun-dry, and use.
[Original] After harvesting, soak overnight in rice-washing water, remove and trim rootlets, chop finely on a locust wood cutting board, steam from Si hour to Shen hour, sun-dry, and use. [Shizhen said] Later generations only rinse with wine before use.
[Translation] After harvesting, soak overnight in rice-washing water, remove and trim the rootlets, chop finely on a locust wood cutting board, steam from the Si hour to the Shen hour, sun-dry, and use. [Li Shizhen noted] Subsequent generations typically only rinse the herb with wine before use.
[Original] For use, soak in raw Licorice water for one Fu period, drain, remove crown and rootlets, bake dry, store, and use.
[Translation] For preparation, soak in a solution of raw Glycyrrhiza (Gancao, 甘草) for one Fu period, drain, remove the crown and rootlets, bake until dry, store, and use.