Definition of 「㼃」:
1. Coal. Also known as stone coal, black gold stone, graphite, iron coal, and焦石 (焦 meaning "coke"). There are several types of coal that resemble sand or wheat bran. It burns like charcoal. In Central Plains, it is a daily necessity, along with firewood and charcoal. "In China, when mined and burned, it does not ignite. It produces sulfur gas coal stone. The stinky ones melt and close into stone. When dug again and put into a furnace, it is called reef. It can burn for five days without going out. It is helpful for cooking and mining, thereby saving labor. It can be ignited with medicinal substances."
2. In the East, it has been unknown since ancient times. However, from what I have heard, there are supplies in the valleys of Yanggen and Xiaoxue Mountain in the Jiaodong region. Along the Northern route, places like Duanchuan, Huining, Wencheng, Zhongcheng, and Jingcheng have it. In Qixin Prefecture, “the valleys of Banqiao Village produce a lot” and in Qingyuan Prefecture, “Zhaoluo Village produces stone ores.” In coal mines, there are also pieces of㼃 amber, as small as a finger or a bean.
3. In the valleys near Xinxie and Donglin Societies, there is coal produced. Between the army exercises in the Xunrong Society, ten miles from the town of Geluzhi Village, there is coal among stacked layers, black and shiny. The digging is said to be inexhaustible.
4. It is known that the Central Plains produce burning stone from Yanzhou for cooking and forging needs. “According to the classification books, there is stone in Yuzhang, yellowish-white and loosely structured. When soaked in water, it becomes hot, like thunder and lightning.”
5. According to Zhang Hua, during the time of Qin Shi Huang, there were people from Wanqu who said that when the heavens and earth were first opened, it was as if they had seen it firsthand. “Moreover, my country is 90,000 miles from the setting sun at the salt pool. The sun and moon do not shine there. Ten thousand years are like daytime or nighttime. Carving burning stones replaces sunlight. Such stones come from burning mountains.”
6. Fengcheng and Pingxiang counties both produce coal, which is dug from the mountains and is black and burnable, producing sulfur gas. Once it is consumed, it turns into white ash.
7. According to “Tian Gong Kai Wu,” coal does not grow in areas with abundant grass and large trees, which shows the marvel of heaven. In cooking and other uses, it is limited to rancid tofu. "Using coal to make tofu results in a burnt product; thus, it is not used."
8. If there is veracity to this, the mountains must contain abundant resources. To discover the mines, one must examine books like “Tian Gong Kai Wu” and “Ben Cao Gang Mu” to know the methods of extraction.
9. In my travels in 1823, I found a stone resembling coal at the transit area in Qiucheng. Therefore, I collected it, which yielded stone chunks, layered and black. When shattered, it resembled fragments of ink. When tested in fire, it ignited and suddenly turned bright red, indistinguishable from coal, with a sulfur-like odor, and easily turned to ash without the support of charcoal.
10. The burning stone from Xunrong shows a loose and brittle quality, breaking into particles like bran, easily ignitable like coal but does not spark or emit flames with a stinky, pungent odor. Extracting it has profits that should match those from salt and iron, regrettably, for the ignorant who forsake it.
11. According to “You Yan Ji”, when boiling tea or heating the kang, stone coal is commonly used. Coal is sourced from the Taihang Mountain, which initially appears muddy but hardens when it comes into contact with air. The sizes vary; the smaller particles can be ground into shavings and mixed with glue for brick molding, which does not turn to ash and can be re-burned if soaked with water.