岭南诸郡悉有之,旁海诸州尤多。交干连枝,岗岭相接,千里不绝。叶如冬青,大
者
合数人抱。木性虚柔,山民或以构茅庐,或为桥梁,或为饭甑尤佳。有香者,百无一二。盖
木得水方结,多在折枝枯干中,或为沉,或为煎,或为黄熟。自枯死者,谓之水盘香。今南
恩、高、窦等州,惟产生结香。盖山民入山,见香木之曲干斜枝,必以刀斫成坎,经年得雨
水所渍,遂结香。复以锯取之,刮去白木,其香结为斑点,遂名鹧鸪斑,燔之极清烈。沉之
良者,惟在琼崖等州,俗谓之角沉。黄沉乃枯木中得者,宜入药用。依木皮而结者,谓之青
桂,气尤清。在土中岁久,不待 剔而成者,谓之龙鳞。亦有削之自卷,咀之柔韧者,谓之
黄蜡沉,尤难得也。然经中只言疗风水毒肿,去恶气,余更无治疗。今医家用以保和卫气,
为上品药,须极细为佳。今人故多与乌药磨服,走散滞气,独行则势弱,与他药相佐,当缓
取效,有益无损。余药不可方也。
薰陆香,木叶类棠梨。南印度界阿吒厘国出,今谓之西香。南番者更佳,此即今人
谓之乳香,为其垂滴如乳。熔塌在地者,谓之塌香。皆一也。
《日华子》云∶“治口气。”此正是御史所含之香。治胃寒及脾胃冷气不和。有大者
名母丁香,气味尤佳。为末,缝纱囊如小指,实末,内阴中,主阴冷病,中病便已。
Sinking wood (Chenxiang) is found in all commanderies of Lingnan, especially in those prefectures near the sea. The trunks interlock and branches connect, with hills and ridges joining continuously for thousands of li without interruption. The leaves resemble those of Ilex aquifolium (Dongqing), and the larger ones require several people to embrace them. The wood has a void and soft nature; mountain dwellers sometimes use it to construct thatched huts, or to build bridges, or to make rice steamers (fan zeng), which is particularly excellent. Only one or two out of a hundred have fragrance. Fragrance forms only when the wood encounters water, mostly in broken branches or dead trunks, becoming either "sinking" (chen), "decoction" (jian), or "yellow ripe" (huang shu). Those that fall naturally from dead trees are called "water plate incense" (shui pan xiang). Currently, in Nan'en, Gao, and Dou prefectures, only fragrant sinking wood is produced. Mountain dwellers enter the mountains, see the curved trunks and slanting branches of fragrant trees, and must chop them into depressions with knives. After a year of being soaked by rainwater, the resin forms. They then saw it off, scrape away the white wood, and the fragrance condenses into spots, hence named "partridge spots" (zhegu ban); when burned, its scent is extremely clear and intense. The best quality sinking wood is found only in Qiongzhou and Yazhou, commonly known as "horn sinking" (jiao chen). Yellow sinking is obtained from dead wood and is suitable for medicinal use. That which forms attached to the bark is called "green cassia" (qing gui), with an exceptionally clear aroma. That which lies in the soil for many years and forms without needing to be chiseled out is called "dragon scales" (long lin). There are also pieces that curl up when shaved and feel tough and flexible when chewed, called "yellow wax sinking" (huang la chen), which is particularly rare. However, medical classics only mention its ability to treat wind-water toxic swelling and remove foul qi, with no other therapeutic indications recorded. Current physicians use it to preserve and protect Wei Qi (Defensive Qi), classifying it as a top-grade medicine, preferably ground to an extreme fineness. People often take it ground together with Xinyi (Linderae Radix) to disperse stagnant qi; used alone, its effect is weak, but when assisted by other herbs, it yields gradual benefits with no harm. No other herbs can compare with it.
Xunlu Incense (Hunlulu Xiang) has leaves resembling those of Pyrus betulaefolia (Tangli). It originates from the Acha Li Kingdom on the border of Southern India and is now called Western Incense (Xi Xiang). Those from southern foreign regions are better; this is what people today call Ru Xiang (Frankincense), because its dripping resembles milk. That which melts and collapses on the ground is called Ta Xiang (collapsed incense). They are essentially the same.
Ri Hua Zi stated: "It treats bad breath." This is precisely the incense held in the mouth by censors. It treats stomach coldness and disharmony caused by cold qi in the spleen and stomach. Among them, the larger variety is named Mu Dingxiang (Mother Clove), which has an even superior aroma. Ground into powder, sewn into a small gauze bag the size of a little finger, filled with the powder, and inserted into the vagina, it primarily treats vaginal coldness; treatment stops once the disease is cured.