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(Fresh ones can be boiled for consumption; dried ones are used by grinding with vinegar and water.)

(Those with seven or nine pairs of ribs are of good quality. Roast thoroughly with vinegar until charred, grind into a fine powder, mix again with vinegar, bake on tiles until dry, and grind again until as fine as flying flour. Avoid using with Alum Stone (Fánshí) and Li Shi.)

(Those that are compact and small in size are of good quality. Wash with wine, roast until dry, and then grind.)

(Take the fat from the eyebrows of toads on the Dragon Boat Festival. The method is: take a large toad, place an unopened clam shell over its eyebrows, and press firmly; the oily secretion will appear inside the shell. Collect it on oil-bright paper, dry it, and store it for use. After releasing the toad, the secretion regenerates, and the toad remains alive.)

(The feces of male mice are of good quality; their feces have pointed ends at both sides.)

(People often counterfeit with pig gallbladder and tiger gallbladder. The test method: pick a grain-sized amount and place it in clean water. If it floats, swims around, and moves on the surface, it is genuine. Counterfeits also move but slower. Those that sink directly are blood from other animal gallbladders; do not add too much, as they will also sink and disperse.)

(When using snake gallbladder, do not use those that are green, yellow, or pale-colored; use those that are white like silver. To prepare, first dig a pit one chi two cun deep under the eaves, place the snake skin in it, leave it overnight until the Mao hour (5-7 AM), then take it out, soak in vinegar for one shi chen (two hours), roast over fire until dry, and use. Heating enhances efficacy. It is incompatible with Magnetite (Císhí) and wine.)

(When using earthworms, after harvesting, soak in rice water overnight. Next day, drain, soak in non-ashy wine for one day and night, drain, and sun-dry. Then cut finely. Take Sichuan pepper (Shǔjiāo), glutinous rice, and the cut earthworms, and simmer together. Once the rice is cooked, remove the rice and pepper, pick clean, and use. For every two liang of earthworms, use one fen of glutinous rice and one fen of pepper as the standard. Incompatible with scallions and salt.)

(When using, do not use centipedes (actually referring to millipedes/Geophilomorpha). They look similar but have white flesh on the head and a pointed mouth. If mistakenly used and the foul smell enters the head, it can cause death. When treating true centipedes (Wúgōng), first use wood dust from Centipede Wood (Wúgōng Mù), or willow dust, stir-fry in a clay vessel until the dust is blackened, then remove the dust. Use a bamboo knife to scrape off the legs and claws. Then process with Centipede Wood (unknown species). Nowadays, people only roast over fire to remove heads and feet, or remove tails, and roast wrapped in mint leaves over fire. Incompatible with slugs, spiders, white salt, chicken manure, and Mulberry Root Bark (Sāngbáipí).)

(When using, must distinguish male and female. Males are called "Ge," with rough skin, large mouths, small bodies, and thick tails. Females are called "Jie," with pointed mouths, large bodies, and thick tails. Men should consume females, women should consume males. When preparing for use, the toxicity lies in the eyes; remove the eyes and the hair/flesh on the nails, tail, and abdomen. Soak in wine, let dry, cover with two layers of paper, and slowly roast over fire through the paper. When the paper is dry and charred, remove the paper, place the Gecko in a porcelain vessel, hang it in the corner of the eastern room overnight, then take out and use. Efficacy increases tenfold. The effect resides in the tail. Another theory states: if a small amount allows one to run a hundred steps rapidly without panting, it is genuine.)