为君者最多，为臣者次之，佐者又次之。药之于证，所主同者则等分。
黄芩、黄连、黄柏、知母，病在头面及手梢皮肤者，须用酒炒之。借酒力以上腾也。咽
之下、脐之上，须酒洗之。在下生用。大凡生升、熟降。大黄须煨，恐寒则损胃气。至于川
乌、附子须炮，以制毒也。黄柏、知母，下部药也，久弱之人，须合用之者，酒浸，曝干
，恐寒伤胃气也。熟地黄，酒洗亦然。当归，酒浸，曝，发散之意也。
凡根之在土者，中半以上，气脉之上行也，以生苗者为根；中半以下，气脉之下行也，
入土以为梢。病在中焦与上焦者，用根；在下焦者，用梢。根升而梢降。大凡药根有上中下
∶人身半以上，天之阳也，用头；在中焦用身；在身半以下，地之阴也，用梢。述类象形者
也。
仲景言∶锉如麻豆大，与 咀同意。夫 咀，古之制也。古者无铁刃，以口咬细，令如
麻豆，为粗药。煎之，使药水清，饮于腹中则易升易散也，此所谓 咀也。今人以刀器锉如
麻豆大，此 咀之易成也。若一概为细末，不厘清浊矣。经云∶清阳发腠理，浊阴走五脏，
果何谓也？又曰∶清阳实四肢，浊阴归六腑。 咀之药，取汁易行经络也。若治至高之病，
加酒煎。去湿，以生姜；补元气，以大枣；发散风寒，以葱白；去膈上痰，以蜜。细末者，
不循经络，止去胃中及脏腑之积。气味浓者白汤调，气味薄者煎之，和渣服。去下部之疾，
其丸极大而光且圆；治中焦者，次之；治上焦者，极小。稠面糊，取其迟化，直至下焦。或
酒、或醋，取其收其散之意也。犯半夏、南星，欲去湿者，以生姜汁。稀糊为丸，取其易化
也；水浸宿，炊饼，又易化；滴水丸，又易化。炼蜜丸者，取其迟化而气循经络也。蜡丸者
，取其难化，而旋旋取效也。大抵汤者“荡”也，去大病用之；散者“散”也，去急病用之
；丸者“缓”也，不能速去之，其用药之舒缓而治之意也。
作为君药的药物用量最多，作为臣药的药物用量次之，作为佐药的药物用量又次之。如果药物针对的病证相同，则各药分量相等。
黄芩、黄连、黄柏、知母这几种药，若病位在头面部及手指梢节皮肤，必须用酒炒制。这是借助酒的升腾之力使药力上行。若病位在咽喉之下、肚脐之上，需用酒洗制。若病位在下部，则生用。大凡规律是：生用则药性上升，熟用则药性下降。大黄需要煨制，因为担心其寒凉之性会损伤胃气。至于川乌、附子必须炮制，以消除其毒性。黄柏、知母是治疗下部疾病的药物，对于身体久弱之人，若需合用这些药，应用酒浸泡后晒干，以防其寒凉之性伤害胃气。熟地黄也采用同样的酒洗方法。当归用酒浸泡后晒干，是为了取其发散之意。
凡是生长在土中的根茎，上半部分（靠近地面的一半），其气脉向上行，称为“根”；下半部分（深入土壤的一半），其气脉向下行，称为“梢”。病在中焦和上焦的，使用根部；病在下焦的，使用梢部。根的药性主升，梢的药性主降。大凡药物的根茎可分为上、中、下三部分：人体半以上，属于天之阳，用药头；在中焦，用药身；在半以下，属于地之阴，用药梢。这是取类比象、效法自然形态的道理。
张仲景说：“锉碎如麻豆大小”，这与“咀”的意思相同。“咀”是古代的方法。古代没有铁刃刀具，人们用口咬细药材，使其像麻豆一样大小，这算是粗加工。煎煮时，能使药液清澈，饮入腹中后容易升发和散开，这就是所谓的“咀”。现在的人用刀器等工具将药材锉成麻豆大小，这是“咀”的简便做法。如果一概磨成细粉，就不能分清清浊了。《内经》说：“清阳发腠理，浊阴走五脏”，究竟是什么意思呢？又说：“清阳实四肢，浊阴归六腑。”经过“咀”处理的药物，提取汁液后更容易在经络中运行。如果是治疗高位疾病，加酒煎煮。祛湿，加生姜；补元气，加大枣；发散风寒，加葱白；去除膈上痰饮，加蜂蜜。如果是细末药，不循行经络，只能去除胃中及脏腑内的积滞。气味浓厚的，用白开水调服；气味淡薄的，煎煮后连同药渣一起服用。治疗下部疾病的丸药，做得极大且光滑圆润；治疗中焦疾病的，稍小一些；治疗上焦疾病的，做得极小。用稠面糊做丸剂，是取其缓慢化开的特性，使药力直达下焦。或者用酒、或者用醋做丸剂，是取其收敛或发散之意。遇到半夏、天南星这类药物，想要去湿的，用生姜汁。用稀糊做丸剂，是取其容易化开；用水浸泡过的宿饼，蒸熟后做丸，也容易化开；滴水泛丸，也容易化开。炼蜜做丸剂，是取其缓慢化开且药气能循行经络的特性。蜡丸剂，是取其难以化开，从而逐渐发挥疗效的特性。大体上说，汤剂的作用是“荡涤”，用于去除大病；散剂的作用是“消散”，用于去除急病；丸剂的作用是“缓和”，不能迅速祛除病邪，体现了用药舒缓以治病的意图。
The quantity of the sovereign drug (Jun Yao, 君药) is the largest, that of the minister drug (Chen Yao, 臣药) is next, and that of the assistant drug (Zuo Yao, 佐药) is even less. If the drugs target the same syndrome, their dosages are equal.
For Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix), Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Huangbai (Phellodendri Cortex), and Zhimu (Anemarrhenae Rhizoma), if the disease is located in the head, face, or skin of the fingertips, they must be stir-fried with wine. This utilizes the ascending power of wine to elevate the medicinal efficacy. If the disease is located below the throat and above the umbilicus, they should be washed with wine. If the disease is in the lower part, they should be used raw. Generally speaking, raw herbs tend to ascend, while processed ones tend to descend. Dahuang (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma) must be baked/roasted, lest its cold nature damage the Stomach Qi. As for Chuanwu (Aconiti Radix lateralis preparata) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata), they must be processed (pao zhi, 炮制) to reduce toxicity. Huangbai and Zhimu are herbs for treating lower-jiao diseases. For individuals with chronic weakness who require these herbs, they should be soaked in wine and then dried in the sun, to prevent their cold nature from injuring Stomach Qi. Shudihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Preparata) is treated similarly by washing with wine. Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) is soaked in wine and then dried, to impart a dispersing intention.
For roots growing in the soil, the upper half (closer to the surface) has qi and vessels flowing upward, and is called the "root" (gen, 根); the lower half (penetrating into the earth) has qi and vessels flowing downward, and is called the "tip" (shao, 梢). For diseases in the Middle Jiao (Zhong Jiao, 中焦) and Upper Jiao (Shang Jiao, 上焦), the root part is used; for diseases in the Lower Jiao (Xia Jiao, 下焦), the tip part is used. The root tends to ascend, and the tip tends to descend. Generally, the root of an herb can be divided into upper, middle, and lower sections: the area above the human body's midpoint belongs to Heaven's Yang, so the head/top of the herb is used; at the Middle Jiao, the body/middle of the herb is used; below the midpoint, belonging to Earth's Yin, the tip/bottom of the herb is used. This follows the principle of taking categories and imitating forms (shu lei xiang xing, 述类象形).
Zhang Zhongjing stated: "Crush to the size of hemp seeds," which is consistent with the concept of "ju" (zui, 咀). "Ju" is an ancient method. In ancient times, without iron blades, people bit the herbs finely with their mouths until they were the size of hemp seeds, constituting coarse processing. When decocted, this makes the medicinal liquor clear, allowing it to easily ascend and disperse after ingestion into the abdomen. This is what is meant by "ju." Today, people use knives and tools to crush herbs to the size of hemp seeds, which is an easier form of "ju." If all herbs are ground into fine powder, the distinction between clear and turbid substances would be lost. The Classics state: "Clear Yang emerges in the interstices of the skin (Cou Li, 腠理), Turbid Yin enters the Five Zang Organs." What does this mean? It also says: "Clear Yang fills the four limbs, Turbid Yin returns to the Six Fu Organs." Herbs processed by "ju" yield juices that easily circulate through the meridians. If treating diseases in high locations, add wine for decoction. To remove dampness, add fresh ginger (Shengjiang, 生姜); to tonify Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi, 元气), add jujube (Dazao, 大枣); to disperse wind-cold, add scallion white (Congbai, 葱白); to eliminate phlegm above the diaphragm, add honey. Fine powders do not follow the meridians but only remove accumulations in the Stomach and internal organs. Those with strong flavors are mixed with plain boiled water; those with weak flavors are decocted and taken with the dregs. For diseases in the lower part, pills are made very large, smooth, and round; for the Middle Jiao, they are smaller; for the Upper Jiao, they are extremely small. Thick wheat paste is used for pills to take advantage of slow dissolution, ensuring the medicine reaches the Lower Jiao. Alternatively, wine or vinegar may be used as binders to achieve either astringent or dispersing effects. When using Banxia (Pinelliae Rhizoma) or Nanxing (Arisaematis Rhizoma), if the goal is to remove dampness, use fresh ginger juice. Thin paste is used for pills to facilitate easy dissolution; soaked old steamed buns also dissolve easily; water-drop pills also dissolve easily. Honey-processed pills are used because they dissolve slowly and allow the medicinal qi to circulate through the meridians. Wax pills are used because they are difficult to dissolve, providing a gradual therapeutic effect. Generally speaking, Tangji (Decoctions, 汤剂) acts as a "sweeping" agent, used for serious illnesses; Sanji (Powders, 散剂) acts as a "dispersing" agent, used for acute illnesses; Wanji (Pills, 丸剂) acts as a "soothing/slow" agent, unable to quickly eliminate pathogens, reflecting the intent of using gentle medication for treatment.