In addition to the Encyclopedia, contemporary works on Chinese medicinals are abundant. They include treatises on general materia medica such as Zhong Yao Zhi (Manual of Chinese Materia Medica) and Quan Guo Zhong Cao Yao Hui Bian (National Collection of Chinese Herbal Drugs) as well as works on regional medicinals such as Sichuan Zhong Yao Zhi (Manual of Chinese Drugs of Sichuan), Hubei Zhong Cao Yao Zhi (Manual of Chinese Herbal Drugs of Hubei), Hunan Yao Wu Zhi (Manual of Materia Medica of Hunan), Chang Bai Shan Zhi Wu Yao Zhi (Manual of Plant Drugs of Chang Bai Mountain), Fujian Yao Wu Zhi (Manual of Materia Medica of Fujian), and Chinese Medicinal Herbs of Hong Kong (Chinese/English; 5 volumes; total 943 pp.). These are all sizable compilations covering information generally contained in the Encyclopedia, but with a slightly different approach and/or regional accent; some also contain medicinals not found in the Encyclopedia. Compared to others, the Chinese Medicinal Herbs of Hong Kong is the least extensive as it describes in brief only 500 herbs, each with a colored photograph.

Like books on single herbal drugs, there is an equally large number of books that are exclusively devoted to herbal formulas, some of which date back at least 2000 years. Many well-known classical formulas can now be found in the Zhong Yi Da Ci Dian: Fang Ji Fen Ce (Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Prescriptions), published in 1980. This formulary incorporates and describes from traditional medical treatises and formularies 7500 selected prescriptions, including 1320 that have duplicate names but different ingredients. Information in each formula includes its classical literature source, the amounts of its component herbs, conditions for which it is used, method(s) of preparation, and method(s) of administration and dosages. The prescriptions included in this work have been selected from such well-known classics as the Pu Ji Fang (Prescriptions for Healing the Masses, published in the 14th century with 61,739 formulas) and the Tai Ping Sheng Hui Fang (published in 992 AD with 16,834 formulas). Examples of well-known classical formulas that are still widely used today include the Yu Ping Feng San Oade Screen Powder) and Yin Qiao San (Honeysuckle Forsythia Powder) for the prevention and treatment of the common cold and other illness; and the Da Huang Mu Dan Tang (Rhubarb Peony Decoction) for treating conditions known as changyong ("intestinal carbuncle") which includes acute appendicitis. For more recent formulas, one can consult the Zhong Yao Zhi ji Hui Bian (Collection of Chinese Herbal Preparations) and Qian lia Miao Fang (One Thousand Superb Prescriptions). The former describes 3873 prescriptions collected from published data during the past 50 years while the latter, published in 1982, describes some 1 100 formulas collected from 600 famous traditional Chinese physicians and/or clinics throughout China.

For those who are interested in herbal veterinarian medicinals, there is the recently published Min jean Shou Yi Ben Cao (Folk Veterinarian Herbal). It describes over 600 herbs (with 461 drawings) and about 10,000 prescriptions for treating more than 1000 diseases in domesticated animals, including pigs, cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, mules, rabbits, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, geese, and camels, among others. Information contained in this herbal is based on traditional works on herbal veterinarian medicine compiled over the past 2000 years plus the experience of the author who is a leading authority in herbal veterinarian medicine in China.

For those with mycological interests, Zhong Guo Yao Yong Zhen Jun (Chinese Medicinal Fungi) has become a standard reference in this field since its publication in 1974. This book documents 121 fungi used in Chinese traditional medicine, including such highly priced edible fungi as the Morchella spp. (for indigestion, excessive phlegm and shortness of breath) to the highly toxic Amanitopsis volvata Sacc. (in combination with other fungi for treating backache, numbness in the limbs, and muscle tightness/spasms).

Another area of popular interest is diet therapy A very useful book on this field is the Zhong Guo Shi Liao Xue (Chinese Diet Therapy). Published in 1987, this book deals with the treatment and prevention of illnesses by using common Chinese medicinals that serve the dual functions both as food and medicine. Information in this book is derived from close to 200 books on diet therapy and related fields, which have been published over the past 2500 years. Food/medicinal plants described in this volume include lily buds (Hemerocallis fulva L.), mung bean, chrysanthemum flower, black sesame seed, green onion (Allium fistulosum L.), and many other common food/medicinal substances. This book should be useful to both the health products industry and to regulatory agencies as it might help answer some questions relating to the history of herbal foods.

Also, the currently official Chinese Pharmacopeia of natural drugs (1985), containing monographs on 506 single drugs and 207 formulas, can serve as a handy reference on common Chinese medicinals.