辛、苦，温，有毒。形块如丹砂，明彻不夹石，其色如鸡冠者真，有青黑色而坚者名
黄，有形色似真而
不可不辨，捣如
甘、辛，大寒。有红白二色，红者不可服，白者洁净，细文短密如束针，正如凝成白
状，松软易碎，烧之
脾胃。鸡子为使，恶
甘、淡，大寒。白如凝脂，极软滑，宜入药甜净，研粉水飞，晒干用。石苇为使，恶
青、制雄黄。
甘、酸、辛，温。以理腻粘舌缀唇者为上，研细，水飞过三度，晒干用，亦有火
飞者。畏芫花、黄芩，官桂，恶大黄、松脂。
甘，平，咸，寒。黑褐色，大者如弹丸，小者如黑石子。研细，水飞用。伏硫黄。
甘，温，有毒。鲜明薄而有光润，似鹅翎筒子者为上。置银器中，水煮三日夜，色
白，换水再煮，其
畏紫石英、蓑草
范成大桂海志云∶钟乳，桂林接宣融山中洞穴至多，胜连州远甚，余游洞亲访之，仰视
石脉
长如冰柱，柱端轻
取之，炼治家又以鹅管之端尤轻明
咸，平，大寒。
辛，温，有毒。有风化、水化二种。风化者，取锻了石置风中自解，此为有力。水化
以水沃之，热蒸而解，其力差劣，入药惟用，风化不夹石者良。
锻石烧青石为之，今出近江州者为真，入药可用之，摄津州来者皆是蛤灰也，俗通名石
灰，
Pungent, bitter, warm, toxic. In block form resembling Cinnabar (Zhusha), transparent without stone impurities; those with a color like a rooster's comb are authentic. Those that are greenish-black and hard are named "Huang" (Yellow Realgar). Although their appearance resembles the authentic type, they must be distinguished carefully. Crush into powder.
Sweet, pungent, extremely cold. There are red and white varieties; the red ones should not be taken orally. The white ones should be clean, with fine, short, and dense textures like bundled needles, resembling solidified white powder, soft and brittle, burning... [text missing] spleen and stomach. Egg is used as an adjuvant; it is incompatible with... [text missing].
Sweet, bland, extremely cold. White like solidified fat, extremely soft and slippery, suitable for medicinal use, sweet and pure. Grind into powder, process by water levigation, and dry in the sun. Leaf of Pyracantha (Shiwei) is used as an adjuvant; it is incompatible with... [text missing].
Sweet, sour, pungent, warm. The best quality is that which smooths sticky tongues and adheres to lips. Grind finely, pass through water levigation three times, and dry in the sun. Some are processed by fire levigation. It is feared by Genkwa Flos (Yuanhua), Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin), and Cinnamon Twig (Guigui); it is opposed to Rhubarb (Dahuang) and Pine Resin (Songzhi).
Sweet, neutral, salty, cold. Blackish-brown, large pieces like pellets, small pieces like black pebbles. Grind finely, use water levigation. It subdues Sulfur (Liuhuang).
Sweet, warm, toxic. Bright, thin, and lustrous, resembling goose quill tubes, is the best quality. Place in silver vessels, boil in water for three days and nights until the color turns white; change water and boil again, its... [text missing]. It fears Fluorite (Zhi Yingshi) and... [text missing].
Fan Chengda's *Guanghai Zhi* states: Stalactites (Zhongru), there are many caves connecting Xuanrong Mountain in Guilin, far surpassing Lianzhou. I visited the caves personally, looking up... [text missing] stone veins... [text missing] long like ice pillars, the ends of the pillars are light... [text missing] to take them. Refiners consider the ends of the goose-quill tubes particularly light and clear... [text missing].
Salty, neutral, extremely cold.
Pungent, warm, toxic. There are two types: wind-weathered and water-treated. Wind-weathered: take calcined stone and place it in the wind to decompose naturally; this has strong efficacy. Water-treated: pour water on it, heat evaporates causing decomposition; its efficacy is inferior. For medicinal use, only wind-weathered material free from stone impurities is good.
Calcined stone is made by burning bluestone. The genuine product now comes from near Jiangzhou and can be used medicinally. Those from Settsu province are all clam ash, commonly known as lime... [text missing].
Bitter, cold. The best quality is reddish, crimson, or bluish-green like a rooster's comb, with luster, and stains fingernails without fading. Red variety is quenched in vinegar three or seven times... [text missing] finely, passed through water levigation. Dried Ginger (Ganjiang) is used as an adjuvant; it is feared by Aconitum Lateralis Preparatum (Tianxiong) and Prepared Aconite Root (Fuzi).