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The preparation of medicines into pills, powders, decoctions, and ointments each has its appropriate form; one must not violate the manufacturing regulations.

Some medicines are suitable for pills or powders, some for water decoction, some for wine maceration, and some for boiling into ointments. There are also those suitable for multiple forms, and those that cannot be used in decoctions or wines. These should all be determined according to the properties of the drugs.

Decoctions (Tang) act to scour away pathogens; they are clear liquids obtained after boiling and are used to treat severe diseases. Powders (San) act to disperse pathogens; they are finely ground powders used to treat acute diseases. Ointments (Gao) are boiled into thick pastes. Liquids (Ye) are natural juices extracted by crushing fresh herbs and pressing them. Pills (Wan) act to缓 (slow down); they are formed into round pellets because they cannot quickly eliminate disease but rather treat it through a gradual, soothing process.

Macerating herbs in wine serves to enhance efficacy using the power of wine. For example, Yin-Han (Yin-Cold) flavored herbs like Danggui Tang (Angelica Sinensis Decoction), Dihuang Tang (Rehmannia Root Decoction), Huangbai Tang (Phellodendron Bark Decoction), and Zhimu Tang (Anemarrhena Rhizome Decoction) rely on wine to circulate Qi and Blood. Alternatively, herbs may be finely chopped and boiled in wine, sealed, and consumed frequently morning and night to unblock meridians, either tonifying or attacking, gradually achieving effects. For various decoctions, wine is added just before completion.

Finely ground powders do not circulate through meridians but remove accumulations in the stomach and viscera, making them suitable for treating lung diseases with cough. Those with strong flavors are mixed with plain water; those with weak flavors are taken with the dregs after decoction.

Pills for treating lower Jiao (Lower Burner) diseases should be large, smooth, and round; those for Middle Jiao (Middle Burner) are smaller; those for Upper Jiao (Upper Burner) are very small. Using flour paste for pills allows for slow dissolution to reach the Lower Jiao. Using wine or vinegar aims at their astringent properties. For instance, Banxia Tang (Pinellia Tuber Decoction) and Nanxing Tang (Arisaema Rhizome Decoction) intended to remove dampness are made into pills with ginger juice thin paste for easier dissolution. Steamed dough soaked in soup also dissolves easily; drop-pill method dissolves even more readily. Refined honey pills aim for slow dissolution so Qi can circulate through meridians. Wax pills aim for difficult dissolution and delayed effect.

When preparing pills, use only honey if using honey, or only maltose if using maltose; do not mix them. Wax is used in pills to protect the flavor and potency of the medicine, ensuring it passes through the diaphragm to take effect. If mixed with honey, although easy to form, it disperses easily upon swallowing and fails to reach the organs. If toxic substances are present, this could cause harm, contrary to the original intent of using wax.

Refining honey involves first skimming off impurities, then boiling until slightly yellow, testing that it does not disperse in water, and boiling two or three more times. For every jin (500g) of honey, add one cup of clear water, boil one or two more times. This allows pills to absorb moisture without sticking together. In winter, adding two cups of water when refining honey is advisable. *Yanyi* states that one jin of honey yields twelve liang after refining. When mixing with powder, do so while the honey is extremely hot, pounding thousands of times in a mortar until soft and ripe, making it easy to form strips and good pills.

All pill and powder ingredients should be finely cut and dried before grinding. Some are ground separately, others together. Moist herbs like Tiandong Tang (Asparagus Fern Tuber Decoction) and Dihuang Tang (Rehmannia Root Decoction) should be cut and sun-dried first, then ground alone. Or, dry them slowly on new tiles over low heat, cool, and grind into fine powder. If mixed with other herbs immediately, uneven mixing occurs due to re-moistening. Furthermore, drying wet herbs causes significant loss.

When sieving materials for pills, use fine silk gauze; for powders, finer sieving is essential. Pill ingredients must be pounded hundreds of times in a mortar until color and texture are uniform and harmonious.

For wine maceration, herbs must be finely cut, placed in raw silk bags, submerged in wine, and sealed. Observe the duration based on cold or hot weather until the concentration is strong enough to filter out; there is no need to wait until the wine is exhausted. The dregs can be dried, lightly crushed, re-macerated for drinking, or taken as powder.

For preparing ointments, whether using vinegar, wine, water, or oil, ensure herbs are fully submerged and covered tightly. During boiling, employ the "three ups and three downs" method to release heat and extract medicinal properties. "Up" means bringing to a rolling boil; "Down" means letting it sit quietly until boiling stops, then heating again. If leeks are included, boil until segments turn slightly yellow. If Baizhi Tang (Angelica Dahurica Root Decoction) or Fuzi Tang (Prepared Aconite Root Decoction) are included, also boil until slightly yellow. Strain the ointment with fresh cloth. Residue from oral ointments can be boiled in wine and drunk; residue from topical ointments should be applied to affected areas to maximize drug utilization.

Mineral drugs used in decoctions, wines, or ointments must be finely ground and wrapped in fresh silk gauze. *Yanyi* notes that mineral powders like Zhongru Fen (Halloysitum Rubrum Powder) require water-grinding for two to three days until extremely fine, followed by washing and settling, before consumption. It is not merely about grinding fine and wrapping in silk.

Fats in ointments, such as pig lard, must have membranes removed before use. Lard from December is particularly good; avoid lard from menstruating women.

Arsenic (Xionghuang) and Cinnabar (Zhusha) in ointments must be ground to flour-like fineness and added only after the ointment base is prepared, stirring thoroughly to prevent settling at the bottom.

Herbal ashes for powders, such as those from Lotus Leaf, Cypress Leaves, Imperata Rhizome, and Sedge Root (Shihui San - Ten Ash Powder), must be burned until charred black but preserved in character by covering the vessel. Burning them to dead ash like firewood destroys their medicinal nature and renders them ineffective.

Greasy seeds like Tao Ren (Peach Seed) and Ma Ren (Hemp Seed) must be separately pounded into a paste before being incorporated into powders and ground together in a mortar to ensure dispersion.