Essential Techniques for the Common People, Complete Book, Volume 9

Cooked Grains and Rice, Chapter 86
original: "Sunfan" (飧飯). This section details the preparation of daily staples, specifically how to boil and steam various grains to the correct consistency.

Vegetarian Food, Chapter 87
original: "Sushi" (素食). These recipes focus on meatless dishes, which were significant both for economic reasons and for Buddhist dietary requirements during the Northern Wei period.

Making Pickled Vegetables and Preserving Fresh Greens, Chapter 88
original: "Zuoju bing cang shengcai" (作葅并藏生菜). "Ju" refers to fermented or brined vegetables. This chapter is a crucial record of early food preservation techniques used to ensure a food supply through the winter.

Malt Sugar and Confections, Chapter 89
original: "Yibu" (飴餔). This covers the creation of sweeteners derived from sprouted grains (malting) and various types of early candies or snacks.

Boiling Glue, Chapter 90
original: "Zhujiao" (煮膠). In a self-sufficient household, glue was produced from animal hides and bones for use in furniture making, tool repair, and even the construction of bows.

Brushes and Ink, Chapter 91
original: "Bimo" (筆墨). The volume ends with the "literary arts," teaching the reader how to manufacture the fundamental tools of writing, reflecting the high value placed on literacy even in agricultural manuals.

Roasting Methods, Chapter 80

original: "Zhifa" (炙法). The character "Zhi" depicts meat over a fire. This chapter provides some of the oldest documented recipes for Chinese barbecue, including spit-roasting and the use of primitive ovens.

Methods for Roasting Pig

original: "Zhizhufa" (炙豬法). This section begins the technical instructions for preparing pork, covering everything from the selection of the animal to the specific fuels used for the fire.