Soup is one of the most commonly used dosage forms in Chinese medicine, and has been used since the creation of soup by Yi Yin in the Shang Dynasty. The production of soup has certain requirements on decoction utensils, water, fire and cooking method. 1, decoction utensils: casserole, tile pot is good, enamel pot is second, avoid using copper and iron pot, so as not to occur chemical changes, affecting the efficacy. 2.Water for decoction: In ancient times, decoction was made with long running water, well water, rain water, spring water, rice slop water, etc.. Now more tap water, well water, distilled water, etc., but always with clean and fresh water is good. 3, decoction fire: there is a civil fire, martial fire. Wenhuo is the fire that makes the temperature rise and the water evaporate slowly; while Wuhuo, also known as rapid fire, is the fire that makes the temperature rise and the water evaporate quickly. 4. Decoction method: Soak the herbs for 30~60 minutes, and use the amount of water that is higher than the surface of the herbs. Generally, Chinese herbs are decocted twice, with the second decoction adding 1/3~1/2 of the water of the first decoction, and the two decoctions are mixed by dregs and filtered and divided into two doses. The heat and time of decoction depends on the performance of the medicine. Generally speaking, decoction of antiphlogistic drugs and antipyretic drugs should be done with a short time of 3~5 minutes after boiling, and slow decoction of tonic drugs should be done with a long time of 30~60 minutes after boiling. Certain drugs have different textures and special decoction methods, which should be specified on the prescription. In summary, there are different decoction methods such as first decoction, second decoction, packet decoction, separate decoction, melting, soaking, punching and decoction of soup instead of water. (1) First decoction: mainly refers to the active ingredients are difficult to dissolve in water, some gold and stone, minerals, shell drugs, should be broken first decoction, boil 20-30 minutes, then other drugs with decoction, so that the active ingredients fully precipitated. For example, magnetite, ochre, raw iron fall, raw gypsum, cold water stone, amethyst, dragon bone, oyster, sea clam shell, corrugated seed, mother of pearl, stone cassia, purple shell tooth, tortoise shell, turtle shell, etc. In addition, drugs with strong toxic side effects such as sapodilla and aconite should be decocted for 45~60 minutes before other drugs, as long decoction can reduce toxicity and safe use of drugs. (2) after the next: mainly refers to some aromatic drugs, long decoction of its active ingredients easy to volatilize and reduce the efficacy of drugs, must be put in after 5-10 minutes after the boiling of other drugs, such as mint, artemisia, Elsholtzia, mullein, sand, incense, cardamom, grass cardamom, etc.. In addition, some drugs are not aromatic drugs, but long decoction can also destroy their active ingredients, such as hooked vine, rhubarb, senna, etc. also belong to the next list. (3) decoction: mainly refers to those strong sticky, powder and fluffy drugs, should be packed in gauze bags first, and then decocted with other drugs to prevent the liquid from clouding or coughing caused by irritating the throat and sinking to the bottom of the pot, causing coking or paste when heated. Such as clam powder, slippery stone, Qing Dai, spinach, psyllium, pu huang and Zao Xin Tu, etc. (4) Another decoction: also known as another stew, mainly refers to certain precious herbs, in order to better decoct the active ingredients, should also be decocted separately, and another stew for 2~3 hours. The decoction can be taken separately, or mixed with other decoctions. Such as ginseng, American ginseng, antelope horn, musk, deer antler, etc. (5) Dissolve: also known as melting, mainly refers to certain gum drugs and viscous and soluble drugs, in order to avoid into the decoction sticky pot or sticky other drugs affect the decoction, can be heated with water or yellow wine to dissolve and melt such drugs, with the decoction of the liquid, can also be put into the decoction of other drugs heated and melted after taking. Such as gum, deer horn gum, tortoise shell gum, turtle shell gum, chicken blood vine gum and honey, caramel, etc. (6) bubble serving: also called h serving, mainly refers to certain active ingredients easily dissolved in water or long decoction easily destroy the efficacy of drugs, you can use a small amount of boiling water or other drugs in the compound decoction while hot soak, cover smothering wet, reduce volatilization, half an hour after the slag can be taken. Such as saffron, senna, fat sea, etc. (7) Punching: mainly refers to certain precious drugs, the dosage is light, in order to prevent dispersion, often need to be finely ground into a bulk, with warm water or compound other drug decoction punching. Such as musk, niuhuang, pearl, antelope horn, monkey date, horse treasure, western ginseng, deer antler, ginseng, mealybug, etc.. Some drugs, according to the needs of the disease, in order to improve the effectiveness of the medicine, also often developed into a bulk punch. For example, Panax notoginseng, Fritillaria, Baihe, Ziziphus, blood surplus charcoal, palm charcoal and centipede, scorpion, stiff silkworm, dragon for quenching wind and stopping spasms and squid bone, corrugated seeds, sea clam shells, yanhuoshao for acidity and pain relief. Some drugs are easily destroyed by high temperatures or the active ingredients are difficult to dissolve in water, so they can only be taken in bulk. Such as Lei Wan, He Cao Bud, Zhu Sha, etc. In addition, there are some liquid drugs such as bamboo leach, ginger juice, lotus root juice, water chestnut juice, fresh groundnut juice, etc. also need to be brewed. (8) decoction of soup instead of water: mainly refers to certain drugs in order to prevent the decoction with other drugs to make the decoction cloudy, difficult to take, it is appropriate to first decoction to take its supernatant solution instead of water and then decoction of other drugs, such as Zao Xin Tu, etc.. In addition, some drugs are light in quantity, large in volume, and absorb large amounts of water, such as in the case of corn beard, loofah, money grass, etc., also need to decoction of soup for water.