雷公云∶凡使，勿用颗大者，号曰伏尸栀子，无力。须要如雀脑，并须长，有九路赤色
者上。
凡使，先去皮、须了，取仁，以甘草水浸一宿，漉出，焙干，捣筛如赤金末用。
雷公云∶骐 竭凡使，勿用海母血，真似骐 竭，只是味咸并腥气。其骐 竭味微咸、
甘，似栀子气是也。
凡欲使，先研作粉，重筛过。临使，安于丸散或膏中任使用。
勿与众药同捣，化作飞尘也。
雷公云∶凡使，勿使枳实，缘性、效不同。若使枳壳，取辛、苦、腥，并有隙油，能消
一切 ，要尘久年深者为上。
凡用时，先去瓤，以麸炒过，待麸焦黑，遂出，用布拭上焦黑，然后单捣如粉用。
雷公云∶凡使，要用紫色、味辛为好。
夫或丸散，便去粗皮，用酥炙过。每修一斤，用酥四两炙了，细锉用。
若汤饮中使，用自然姜汁八两炙一升为度。
雷公云∶凡使，勿用雀儿苏，真似山茱萸，只是核八棱，不入药用。
凡欲使山茱萸，须去内核。每修事，去核了，一斤，取肉皮用，只秤成四两已来，缓火
熬之方用。
能壮元气，秘精。核能滑精。
雷公云∶凡采得，用铜刀削上粗皮一重，薄切，下东流水浸一夜，至明漉出，细切，以
升麻叶对蒸一日，出，去升麻叶令净，晒干用。
雷公云∶凡使，勿用石茆，根头真似鬼箭，只是上叶不同，味各别。
凡采得后，只使箭头。用，拭上赤毛，用酥缓炒过用之。
每修事一两，用酥一分，炒酥尽为度。
Lei Gong said: When using Gardenia fruit (Zhi Zi, 栀子), do not use large grains, which are called "Fu Shi Zhi Zi" (伏尸栀子, literally "Corpse-Hiding Gardenia") and have weak efficacy. One must select those the size of a sparrow's brain, elongated in shape, and possessing nine red veins; these are superior.
When processing Gardenia fruit, first remove the peel and rootlets, take out the seeds, soak them in Licorice water (Gan Cao Shui, 甘草水) overnight, drain, dry by baking, crush, and sieve into a powder resembling fine red gold for use.
Lei Gong said: When using Dragon's Blood (Qi Lin Jie, 麒麟竭), do not use Sea Mother Blood (Hai Mu Xue, 海母血, a counterfeit), which resembles true Dragon's Blood but has a salty taste and fishy odor. True Dragon's Blood has a slightly salty and sweet taste, and its aroma is similar to that of Gardenia fruit.
When preparing to use Dragon's Blood, first grind it into powder and sift it repeatedly. At the time of use, incorporate it into pills, powders, or ointments as needed.
Do not crush it together with other herbs to avoid turning it into flying dust.
Lei Gong said: When using Immature Bitter Orange (Zhi Shi, 枳实), do not use it because its properties and effects differ. If using Aged Bitter Orange (Zhi Ke, 枳壳), select those with strong pungent, bitter, and fishy odors, containing interstitial oils, and aged for many years; these are superior.
When using Aged Bitter Orange, first remove the pith, stir-fry with bran until the bran turns charred black, remove from heat, wipe off the charred bran with a cloth, then crush individually into powder for use.
Lei Gong said: When using Cornus officinalis fruit (Shan Zhu Yu, 山茱萸), select those that are purple in color and pungent in taste as the best quality.
If used in pills or powders, remove the coarse skin and roast with animal fat (Su, 酥). For every jin (approx. 500g) processed, use four liang (approx. 125g) of animal fat for roasting, then finely chop for use.
If used in decoctions, roast one sheng (approx. 100ml) with eight liang of fresh ginger juice.
Lei Gong said: When using Cornus officinalis fruit, do not use Que Er Su (雀儿苏, a counterfeit resembling Cornus officinalis), which has an eight-ridged pit and is unsuitable for medicinal use.
When preparing Cornus officinalis fruit, one must remove the hard inner core. During processing, after removing the core from one jin of fruit, only weigh out about four liang of the flesh and skin, and simmer over slow fire before use.
It can strengthen primordial Qi (Yuan Qi, 元气) and secure essence (Jing, 精). The pit can cause seminal emission.
Lei Gong said: Upon harvesting Arrow Branch (Gui Jian, 鬼箭羽), use a copper knife to shave off the outer coarse skin layer, slice thinly, soak in flowing water from the east for one night, drain the next morning, cut finely, steam for one day against leaves of Cimicifuga rhizome (Sheng Ma Ye, 升麻叶), remove, clean off the Cimicifuga leaves, sun-dry, and use.
Lei Gong said: When using Arrow Branch, do not use Shi Mao (石茆, a counterfeit), whose root tip resembles Arrow Branch but differs in upper leaves and taste.
After harvesting, use only the arrow-shaped tips. Wipe off the red hairs, stir-fry slowly with animal fat, and use.
For every liang processed, use one fen of animal fat, stir-frying until the fat is fully absorbed.