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Taste: bitter, warm. Nature: non-toxic. It primarily treats wind-stroke (Zhongfeng), cold damage (Shanghan), headache, alternating chills and fever, palpitations with fright, Qi and blood bi syndrome (obstruction of Qi and blood causing numbness and pain), dead muscle tissue, and eliminates three types of parasites. (When used raw, it resolves the muscle layer and reaches the exterior; when roasted until fragrant, it transforms the earth element and assists the spleen.)

Chen Xiuyuan states: Houpo (Magnolia Bark) has a warm nature, inheriting the wood energy to enter the liver; its bitter taste and non-toxic nature allow it to enter the heart via fire energy. However, its flavor and aroma are strong and primarily descending. Descending implies that its warmth is specialized in dispersing, and its bitterness is specialized in purging. Therefore, what it primarily treats are all excess syndromes. In wind-stroke, there are cases of obstruction in urination and defecation; in cold damage, there are cases of slight wheezing after inappropriate purgation, cases of abdominal fullness after sweating, and cases of hard stool. In headaches, there are cases of turbid qi rushing upward. All these are suitable for treatment primarily with Houpo. Furthermore, warmth can disperse cold, and bitterness can purge heat. Being able to disperse and purge allows it to resolve palpitations caused by rebellious Qi. Dispersing promotes Qi movement, and purging promotes blood movement; thus, it can treat Qi and blood bi syndrome and dead muscle tissue. The three parasites are originally transformed from dampness. Houpo can disperse and purge this dampness, thereby eliminating the parasites. Broadening the abdomen and directing Qi downward is not explicitly stated in the classic texts. Zhang Zhongjing utilized it because of its bitter taste and warm nature, grasping the implicit meaning beyond the words of the *Shennong Bencao Jing*.

Taste: bitter, cold. Nature: non-toxic. It primarily treats evil qi within the five zang organs, hot qi in the stomach, redness of the face, rhinophyma (jiu na bi), white leprosy-like skin lesions (bai lai), red leprosy-like skin lesions (chi lai), and sores and ulcers.

Chen Xiuyuan states: Gardenia (Zhizi) has a cold nature, inheriting water energy to enter the kidney; its bitter taste allows it to enter the heart via fire energy. "Evil qi within the five internal organs" refers to the influence of heat evil qi on the five zang organs. "Hot qi in the stomach" refers to mental restlessness and insomnia due to heat in the stomach meridian. The flower of the heart manifests in the face; redness indicates excessive heart fire. The nose belongs to the lung; rhinophyma occurs when metal (lung) is overcome by fire (heart), resulting in redness. White lesions represent dampness, red lesions represent heat, and sores/ulcers represent heart fire. Gardenia inherits the essence of cold water below and forms the reality of sovereign fire above. It can raise yin water qi to nourish upwards and guide fire-heat qi downward. Thus, it comprehensively treats the aforementioned conditions. For all these conditions, only raw usage is effective, as the medicinal properties remain intact. If stir-fried until black, it becomes like dead ash and is useless. Zhang Zhongjing used it in Zhizi Chi Tang (Gardenia and Fermented Soybean Decoction) to leverage its function of interacting water and fire and harmonizing the heart and kidney. The addition of fermented soybeans (Xiangchi) is to induce vomiting, not because Gardenia itself induces vomiting. Vulgar editions claim that Fanzi (an alias for Gardenia) induces vomiting when raw but not when stir-fried black; how ignorant is this!

Note: Zhang Zhongjing stated: Those who already have mild diarrhea should not use it.