Library

Sandalwood: Pungent, warm. The variety with firm bark and yellow color is called Huangtan (Yellow Sandalwood); the variety with purple bark and white wood is called Baitan (White Sandalwood); the variety with decayed bark and purple color is called Zitan (Red Sandalwood). All these woods are heavy and fragrant, with Baitan being of superior quality. It should be sealed in paper to prevent the loss of aroma.

Agarwood: Pungent, warm. The variety that is purple-black and moist is considered good.

Frankincense: Pungent, warm. Used raw or soaked in wine overnight, then stir-fried.

Myrrh: Pungent, bitter, slightly warm. Round and large like a nipple, white in color. For pills, grind with a small amount of wine into a paste, process by water flotation, dry, and use. Some say it can be ground together with Juncus effusus (Jiedicao), or ground in a mortar. In the market, there is another name called Xunlu (Incense Resin).

Dragon's Blood: Bitter, neutral. Yellowish-black in color, processed similarly to Frankincense.

Liquidambar Resin: Also known as Liquidambar Resin. Pungent, bitter, neutral. Nowadays, people often mistake Jiayidi Mu for the Sweetgum tree, which is a significant error.

Styrax: Sweet, salty, neutral. Resembles maltose, solidifies into red-chip blocks, colored like blood. To test authenticity, chew it; if it does not break down and feels like wax, it is of the highest grade. People test it by... [Text fragment: "grind with medicine, fear it transforms"].

Benzoin: Pungent, bitter, neutral. Resembles pine resin or peach gum, yellowish-black. Boil in wine and grind; some resembling malt sugar are called Benzoin Oil.

Borneol: Sweet, warm. Only Styrax oil is used in medicine... [Text fragment: "like glue picked up with chopsticks"], if it can be lifted with chopsticks and forms continuous threads, it is genuine. It is also a gum from trees in foreign countries; thick and residue-free is superior.

Camphor: Very pungent, bitter, warm. Merchants often mix Fanxiao (Foreign Saltpeter) to adulterate, but its texture is heavy, color dull like sand, and finely fragmented. Borneol is light, floating, pure white, and flaky, comparable in size, requiring careful distinction. Store in porcelain jars with Juncus effusus to prevent volatilization. Nowadays, people often confuse Camphor with Borneol, which must not be overlooked. Huang Zhonghai said: Pian Nao (Crystal Borneol) is produced in Siam and other countries; only those processed with Buddha Mud are superior. The tree is two or three zhang high, leaves smaller than locust trees, bark texture similar to Sha Liu... [Text fragment: "like finger, thick as two green coins"] can also be used for medicine, but this is secondary.

Preparation of Camphor: Pungent, hot. When using, take one tael, cover with two bowls, seal the mouth with wet paper, heat with alternating mild and strong fire for about half an hour, remove, and let cool before use. Method for decocting Camphor: Slice fresh Camphor wood, soak in well water for three days and nights, boil in a pot, stir frequently with willow wood until the liquid reduces by half... [Text fragment: "on willow wood"] Method for refining Camphor: Use a copper basin, sprinkle powder made from old wall earth at the bottom, then layer Camphor, then wall earth again, repeating four or five times, place mint on top... [Text fragment: "earth basin, such as sheng liang two or three times"].