甘，凉，微咸。有二种，西戎者，白如明矾；南番者，黄如桃胶，制汞。
寇宗 曰∶南番者，色重褐，其味和，入药其效速。西戎者，其色白，其味焦，入药其
效缓
酸、咸，大热，有毒。以萝卜剜空入硫合定，糠火煨熟，以紫背浮萍同煮过，皂荚汤
去黑浆。曾青为使，
草汤可解，市家有鹰
酸，寒。明亮者佳， 干汁者谓之枯矾，不 者为生矾。甘草为使，恶牡蛎，畏麻黄
酸，凉。深青莹净者即为青矾， 过变赤则为绛矾。
甘，寒。即掘黄土地作坎，深三尺，汲新水搅浊，取清用之是也。
即酸浆也。
甘、酸，微温。炊粟米热投冷水中，浸五六日，生白花者是也，若浸至败者
同季食，妊妇戒之。
宜用阳燧火珠承日，取太阳真火。其次则钻槐取火为良。若急卒难备，即用真麻油灯
可，其余不可用也。
用熟艾末二两、乳香、没药、穿山甲、硫黄、雄黄、草乌头、川乌头、桃树皮末
麝香五分，为末
地中七七日取出
忌冷水。一方用猪牙皂角、威
本、天麻、苍术、独活、良姜、官桂、雄黄、乳
艾薄铺绵纸上，少以药末掺艾上，卷作条子如箸大，长五寸，遇痛针
辛，热。即灶中对釜月下黄土也，取经十年以来，灶额内火气积久，掘深一尺，色如紫
瓷者，研细，水飞用。
辛，温平。此乃灶额黑烟也，其质轻细，故谓之霜。
Sweet, cool, slightly salty. There are two types: those from the Western Regions (Xirong) are white like alum; those from the Southern Barbarians (Nanfan) are yellow like peach gum and can be used to refine mercury.
Kou Zongshi stated: The Nanfan type is dark brown in color, has a mild taste, and acts quickly when used in medicine. The Xirong type is white in color, has a scorched taste, and acts slowly when used in medicine.
Sour, salty, very hot, toxic. Hollow out a radish, place sulfur inside and fix it, roast it thoroughly in chaff fire, boil it together with purple-backed duckweed, and wash away the black slurry using soap pod decoction. Use Chalcitis (Cingzheng) as an guiding herb. Decoction of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao) can resolve the toxicity. Market vendors have eagles... [Text appears incomplete or corrupted here]
Sour, cold. Those that are bright and clear are superior. Dried juice is called calcined alum (Kufan), while non-dried is called raw alum (Shengfan). Use Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao) as an assistant herb. It is incompatible with Ostrea Concha (Muli) and fears Ephedrae Herba (Mahuang).
Sour, cool. Deep green and crystal clear ones are Qingfan (Green Vitriol); after roasting until they turn red, they become Jiangfan (Red Vitriol).
Sweet, cold. This refers to digging a pit three chi deep in loess soil, drawing fresh water, stirring it until turbid, and then using the clarified portion.
This is Suanjiang (Fermented Rice Water). Sweet, sour, slightly warm. Cook millet rice, throw it into cold water while hot, soak for five to six days until white flowers appear. If soaked until spoiled, do not consume; pregnant women should avoid it.
It is advisable to use a Yangsui mirror to focus sunlight and obtain the true fire of the sun. Secondly, drilling wood from locust trees to generate fire is good. If urgently needed and difficult to prepare, real sesame oil lamps can be used; others are not suitable.
Use two liang of processed mugwort powder, Frankincense (Ruxiang), Myrrh (Moyao), Pangolin Scales (Chanshanjia), Realgar (Xionghuang), Aconitum Kusnezoffii Root (Caowutou), Aconitum Carmichaelii Root (Chuanwutou), peach bark powder, and five fen of Moschus (Shexiang). Grind into fine powder. Bury in the ground for forty-nine days, then retrieve. Avoid cold water. Another prescription uses Soap Pod (Zhuya Zaojiao), Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root (Weilingxian), Ligusticum Wallichii Rhizome (Ben), Gastrodia Elata Rhizome (Tianma), Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Cangzhu), Angelica Pubescens Root (Duhuo), Galanga Rhizome (Liangjiang), Cinnamon Twig (Guangui), Realgar (Xionghuang), Frankincense (Ruxiang). Spread mugwort thinly on cotton paper, sprinkle a small amount of the herbal powder onto the mugwort, roll into strips as thick as chopsticks and five cun long. Apply to painful areas for acupuncture/moxibustion... [Text appears incomplete here]
Pungent, hot. This is the yellow earth found beneath the stove pot, taken from stoves that have been in use for ten years or more, where heat has accumulated over time. Dig one chi deep; if the color resembles purple porcelain, grind it finely and process by water levigation (shuifei) for use.
Pungent, warm and neutral. This is the black soot from the stove hood. Its texture is light and fine, hence it is called "Frost" (Shuang).