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[Xiangfu (Cyperus Rhizome)]
[Harm] It is a drying and bitter-warm substance, yet it can consume blood and scatter qi. For those with qi deficiency and blood weakness, taking it may damage qi and deplete blood, thereby exacerbating the disease. In cases where menstruation occurs prematurely due to blood-heat, the treatment principle should be to cool the blood; this herb should not be used. Misuse will cause the menstruation to occur even earlier.
[Benefit] Its aroma is fragrant, its pungent taste disperses, slight bitterness descends, and slight sweetness harmonizes. It is a qi-moving herb within the blood, circulating through the qi aspect of the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary vessels. It enters the organs of Metal (Lung) and Wood (Liver), opens stagnation, transforms qi, and acts as a diaphoretic and phlegm-resolving agent. It leads other herbs; when used appropriately, it serves as the commander for treating qi disorders and the general-in-chief in gynecology, thus yielding miraculous results in pregnancy and childbirth. It works well in combination with Tongbian (Child's urine), Cu (Vinegar), Xiongqiong (Ligusticum Rhizome), and Cangzhu (Atractylodis Rhizoma).
[Processing] Harvest the tubers from the roots in the second and eighth lunar months. Dry them in the shade, burn off the hairs with fire, wash clean with water, and rub off the skin and rootlets on a stone. Raw use directs the action upward to the chest and diaphragm, outward to the skin, or can be ground into juice. Cooked use directs the action downward to the Liver and Kidney, and outward to the waist and feet. To moisten dryness and tonify deficiency, stir-fry after soaking in child's urine; to enter the blood aspect, stir-fry with salt water; to move collaterals, stir-fry after soaking in wine; to resolve accumulations, stir-fry with vinegar; to counteract dryness, stir-fry with honey; to resolve phlegm, stir-fry with ginger juice; to enter the Kidney qi, stir-fry with salt; charred black to stop bleeding. Thus, it governs the Upper, Middle, and Lower Jiao. Avoid contact with iron vessels; boil with rice straw so that the taste is not bitter.

[Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix)]
[Harm] Muxiang is aromatic, drying, and biased toward Yang. It is contraindicated for those with Lung deficiency and heat, and for those with dried-up blood and dryness. It is strictly forbidden for conditions involving collapse of Yuan Qi, or various swellings and pains caused by Yin deficiency with internal heat, especially those belonging to Fire patterns. Zhu Danxi stated: "Its pungent taste and ascending nature mean that if there is flaming up of deficient fire, using it will instead aggravate the pathogenic fire."
[Benefit] It is a pungent, bitter, and warm herb acting on the Qi aspect of the Triple Burner. It drains Lung Qi, soothes Liver Qi, harmonizes Spleen Qi, opens various stagnations, warms the Middle Jiao, and treats heart pain. Raw use regulates Qi; roasted (wrapped in flour) use stops diarrhea. Because it descends Qi and opens stagnation, it is also considered a fierce general for purging the Triple Burner. It fears fire.
[Processing] Harvest the roots in winter, sun-dry for medicinal use. The best quality resembles withered bones, has a bitter taste, and feels sticky to the teeth. When included in formulas for regulating Qi, use raw only, avoiding direct fire, or grind into juice. To solidify the intestines and stop diarrhea, wrap in flour before processing. Li Dongyuan processed it with Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma), and steaming is also a method used.