秋石阴阳二炼之法，不可以优劣加之。夫何世不烛理，有谓阳炼咸味不去，凡性犹存；有谓
阴炼清阳混泄，正气不足。是二者之议皆过也。殊不知二法盖由咸味取舍之施，理势之必不可偏
废也。然欲存其味者，必阳炼，乃阳中之阴；欲去其味者，必阴炼，乃阴中之阳。苟舍二法不可
以成秋石也。何则？阳炼用火存形，其味咸，其质重，除病之效速。集其咸味，重体，而有化痰
降火滋肾生水之功，则如药性所用海石、青盐一理也。阴炼以水涤体，其味淡，其质轻，益养之
功纯。集其淡味，轻体，而有还精补脑助气调神之绩，则如药性所用茯神、琥珀一理也。又谓阳
中之阴以象离，阴中之阳以象坎，有必合两家之作而并用之，以为坎离交媾之义，则优劣之辨昭
然矣！予故并将阴阳二炼之法录入于集，以备养世者之取正云耳。
用明净川皮硝十斤，水一斗，萝卜四斤，切片同煮烂为度，去卜，硝水用纸滤瓷 中，露一
夜，次早另倾浮水置一器中，块沉底者取起，复以萝卜、清水量入同煮，如前露澄。又次日取起，
用防风二两、甘草二两煎汤十碗，用玄明粉煮化滤过，露一夜，次一日倾出，甘防汤同煎二次，萝
卜汤煮一沸，露一夜。余硝俱澄同前，硝风吹干，入罐升打火如秋石法，任用。按制旨，盖硝味
特咸，以萝卜制解之。其性善降下，若下头目之火，恐或不能达上而降，以防风导引上行，甘草
和缓为佐。惧其寒凉，久服伤胃，故以火 ，则得阳长阴消之义，而无寒袭脾胃之伤，有掣上掣下之功。
秋石阴阳两种炼制的方法，不能简单地判定谁优谁劣。为什么世人不能明察事理呢？有人说阳炼法未能去除咸味，药物的本性依然存在；有人说阴炼法清除了阳气导致精华流失，正气不足。这两种观点都是片面的。殊不知这两种方法的区别在于对咸味的取舍应用，这是道理和形势上必然不可偏废的。如果想要保留其咸味，必须用阳炼法，这属于“阳中之阴”；如果想要去除其咸味，必须用阴炼法，这属于“阴中之阳”。如果舍弃这两种方法，就无法制成秋石。为什么呢？阳炼法用火来保存形态，其味咸，其质地重，治疗疾病的见效速度快。聚集其咸味，质地沉重，具有化痰、降火、滋肾、生水的功效，这就如同药性中所说的海浮石、青盐的道理一样。阴炼法用水洗涤体质，其味淡，其质地轻，补益滋养的功效纯粹。聚集其淡味，质地轻盈，具有还精补脑、助气、调神的成效，这就如同药性中所说的茯神、琥珀的道理一样。又有人说，“阳中之阴”象征离卦（火），“阴中之阳”象征坎卦（水），应当将两家制作的方法合并使用，以体现“坎离交媾”的意义，这样优劣的辨别就显而易见了！所以我特意将阴阳两种炼制的方法都录入本集中，以备养生之人参考指正。
取十斤明净的川皮硝，加入一斗水，四斤萝卜，切片后一同煮至烂熟为止，去掉萝卜，将硝水用纸过滤到瓷器中，露天放置一夜。第二天早晨，另将漂浮的水倒入一个容器中，沉在底部的块状物取起，再次加入萝卜和清水同煮，像之前那样露天澄清。再第二天取起，用二两防风、二两甘草煎成十碗汤，用玄明粉在其中煮化并过滤，露天放置一夜。次日倒出，用防风甘草汤同煎两次，再用萝卜汤煮沸一次，露天放置一夜。剩余的硝都按上述方法澄清，让硝风吹干，装入罐中升火蒸馏，操作如制秋石的方法，随意使用。按照制作的旨意，大概是因为硝的味道特别咸，用萝卜来制约化解它。硝的性质善于下降，如果要清除头目的火邪，恐怕药力不能到达上部而降下，所以用防风作为引经药引导药力上行，用甘草缓和药性作为佐使。担心其寒凉之性长期服用会损伤胃气，所以经过火炼，就得到了“阳长阴消”的意义，而没有寒邪侵袭脾胃的伤害，具有既能清上又能泻下的功效。
The methods of Yin and Yang refining for Qiushi (Calcined Human Urine Salt) cannot be judged as superior or inferior. Why is it that people in the world fail to understand the principles? Some claim that in the Yang refining method, the salty taste is not removed, so the original nature of the substance remains; others argue that in the Yin refining method, clear Yang is mixed and lost, resulting in insufficient Zhengqi (Upright Qi). Both of these opinions are excessive. It is unknown that the difference between these two methods lies in the application of retaining or discarding the salty taste, which is a matter of principle and necessity that cannot be neglected. However, if one wishes to retain its salty taste, the Yang refining method must be used, which represents "Yin within Yang"; if one wishes to remove its salty taste, the Yin refining method must be used, which represents "Yang within Yin". Without these two methods, Qiushi cannot be produced. Why? The Yang refining method uses fire to preserve the form; its taste is salty, its texture is heavy, and its therapeutic effect is rapid. By concentrating its salty taste and heavy texture, it possesses the functions of resolving phlegm, descending fire, nourishing the Kidney, and generating fluids, similar to the properties of Haishi (Fossilia Osseus) and Qingyan (Halite) as described in materia medica. The Yin refining method uses water to wash the body; its taste is bland, its texture is light, and its nourishing function is pure. By concentrating its bland taste and light texture, it achieves the effects of returning essence to nourish the brain, assisting Qi, and regulating Shen (Spirit), similar to the properties of Fushen (Poria with Hostwood) and Hupo (Succinite) as described in materia medica. Furthermore, some say that "Yin within Yang" corresponds to the Li Trigram (Fire), and "Yang within Yin" corresponds to the Kan Trigram (Water). There should be a combination of both methods for simultaneous use, embodying the meaning of "Kan and Li interacting." In this way, the distinction between superiority and inferiority becomes clear! Therefore, I have recorded both the Yin and Yang refining methods in this collection for those who cultivate health to refer to and correct.
Take ten jin (approx. 5 kg) of clear Chuanpi Xiao (Natrii Sulfas from Sichuan), one dou (approx. 10 liters) of water, and four jin (approx. 2 kg) of radish. Slice the radish and boil together until soft. Remove the radish. Filter the Xiao solution through paper into a porcelain vessel and leave it exposed to the air overnight. Early the next morning, pour off the floating liquid into another container. Take up the solid precipitate at the bottom, add fresh radish and clear water, and boil again, clarifying by exposure as before. On the second subsequent day, take up the substance. Decoct two liang (approx. 75 g) of Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) and two liang (approx. 75 g) of Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) in ten bowls of water. Dissolve Xuanmingfen (Mirabilite processed by calcination) in this decoction, filter, and leave exposed overnight. The following day, pour out the liquid. Decoct twice more with the Fangfeng-Gancao decoction, then boil once with radish decoction, and leave exposed overnight. The remaining Xiao should be clarified as above. Allow the Xiao to dry in the wind, place it in a jar, and apply fire distillation using the same method as for making Qiushi, as desired. According to the principle of preparation: Xiao has a particularly salty taste, which is restrained and resolved by radish. Its nature tends to descend. If used to clear fire from the head and eyes, there is a risk that it may not reach the upper part effectively while descending. Therefore, Fangfeng is used as a guiding herb to direct the action upward, and Gancao is used as an assistant to moderate the action. Fearing that its cold nature might damage the Stomach Qi with long-term use, the process of fire refining embodies the principle of "Yang growing and Yin diminishing," avoiding injury to the Spleen and Stomach from cold, thereby achieving the effect of clearing the upper and purging the lower.