Nature and flavour: Sour and warm.
    
Constituents: It mainly contains acetic acid, acetoin, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetal, oxalic acid, lactic acid, acetones and some sugars.
    
Actions: It possesses the actions of dissipating blood stasis, hemostatic, anditoxic and flavouring. Hence, it is applied in postpartum collapse, lumps, jaundice, and hemoptysis. It also stimulates appetite. It yields refreshing action on the brain with vapor inhalation.
    
Recipe examples: {1) For ascaris in the biliary ducts. To 30-60 ml vinegar, add warmed boiled water, and drink in a draught.
    
(2) For acute or chronic hepatitis. Prepare 500 g fresh pig's ribs and place into 1,000 ml vinegar with 125 g brown or white sugar. Boil the vinegar for 30 minutes. Obtain the solution. For adults, 30-40 ml and 10-15 ml for hildren 5-10 years of age, 3 times daily after meals for 1 month as a therapeutic course. Three courses may be administered.
    
(3) For jaundice. Use 100 ml vinegar in which 30 g root of membranous milk vetch, 6 g cinnamon twigs and 20 g root of herbaceous peony are added. Pour in some water and boil it. ,Drink the decoction, once a day for 7 days.
4. Processed soybean
Made by the fermentation of boiled black beans.
   
Nature and flavour: Bitter and cold.
   
Constituents: Protein and vitamins B, and B2.
   
Actions: Antipyretic, and diaphoretic to relieve the exterior syndrome. Detoxifying and promoting eruption of rash in measles.
    
Recipe examples: (1) For seasonal febrile disease with high fever and skin rash. Use 15 g glutinous rehmannia, 20 g fermented sovabean with 30 g pig's fat. Boil in 150 ml water until 50 ml is left, and drink at a draught. 
   
(2) For dysentery. Use 50 g fermented soyabean and a handful of Alli Macrostem's bulb cut into small pieces. Boil in 150 ml water for 20 minutes. Drink the decoction twice a day.