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Anxi Xiang (Styrax)

Taste: Acrid, Bitter. Nature: Neutral. Non-toxic. It grows only overseas and is also a tree resin. Because its fragrance repels evil spirits, locals call it the "Evil-Repelling Tree." On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the bark is split, and the gum resin oozes out like malt syrup. It solidifies into lumps, yellowish-black in color. When burned, the smoke frightens ghosts and pleases deities; when ground and taken orally, it drives away evil and expels malignancy. It can induce the expulsion of "ghost fetus" (abnormal uterine growths) and eliminate insect poison.

Suhe Xiang (Styrax Benzoin / Styrax Tonkinensis)

Taste: Sweet. Nature: Warm. Non-toxic. It comes from the Western Regions and is sold in Guangdong. Its aroma is extremely fragrant, and its color is purple-red. Some say it is made by decocting and mixing juices of various aromatics. Another theory says it is lion feces, hence its embellished name. Various theories abound, making it difficult to determine which is correct. Those currently sold in the market are mostly like paste or oil. It repels all kinds of evil qi, kills ghostly entities and evil spirits; eliminates three types of intestinal parasites, and removes insect poison causing epilepsy. It still prevents sleep paralysis (nightmares), and especially promotes clarity of the spirit.

Longnao Xiang (Borneol)

(Also known as Bingpian) Taste: Acrid, Bitter. Nature: Warm, slightly cold. Non-toxic. It arrives via sea ships and originates from Persia. The tree is straight and long, resembling cedar, with scaly bark; branches grow sideways producing leaves that are white on the back and perfectly round. The fragrance is formed by the condensation of tree resin, resembling fine petals of plum blossoms. Each piece is clean, and the aroma is very pungent. Merchants often mix it with foreign saltpeter (fanxiao), so careful selection is essential. (Foreign saltpeter is heavy and dark green, finely granular like sand. Borneol is light, floating, pure white, and each piece is uniform. Fine herbs must be added carefully to prevent loss.) For heat-induced redness and pain in the eyes, applying it as a paste stops the pain immediately; for throat obstruction (houbi) with swelling and blockage, grinding it into powder and insufflating it eliminates the condition instantly. For gan poison (chronic ulcerative disease) growing in the ear canal, continuous application gradually resolves it (combined with eye drops applied externally). For tongue swelling protruding outside the mouth, adding it causes retraction (for severe cases, use 5 qian to achieve cure). It also treats childhood smallpox accompanied by mental restlessness, mania, and delirious speech. Take the finely ground powder, form pills with pig heart blood. Decoct Zicao (Arnebiae Radix seu Cortex) thickly, and swallow the pill the size of a water chestnut. It effectively promotes the eruption of the rash and stabilizes the mind. Longnao oil is produced in Fo Shi Guo (Srivijaya/Foshi region); it is obtained by drilling trees and massaged to treat all wind conditions. The clear liquid from the roots is also called Gao Xiang (Ointment Fragrance). It can drive out wind-phlegm and open orifices.

(Chen Jiamo) Commentary: Danxi stated: Borneol belongs to Fire. The world knows it as cold and promoting unblocking, but fails to realize its hot, light, floating, and soaring nature. *Ju Fang* (*Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang*) merely favors its fragrance and values its fineness, often using it together with Shexiang (Moschus) as an assistant to Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) and Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata). However, human Yang qi is easily disturbed, and Yin is easily deficient; one should ponder this. Jiezai further stated: Borneol is highly acrid and moves rapidly, thus it can dissipate heat and unblock stagnant qi. Medical formulas for eye pain, throat obstruction, and chancre (xia gan) use it frequently, taking advantage of its acrid dispersing property. If a person wishing to die swallows it, their Qi will scatter completely. People mistakenly consider it cold, not realizing its strong acrid dispersing nature makes it seem cool. All aromatics belong to Yang; how could the most aromatic substance be contrary to cold?