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Mu Xiang (Costus Root)

Pungent, warm, non-toxic. Primarily treats pathogenic factors, repels toxic epidemics, warm diseases, and ghostly evils; strengthens the will; treats enuresis and seminal emission; remedies qi deficiency and weakness; addresses coldness in the muscles; treats insufficiency of qi; eliminates toxins; kills ghostly essences and objects; treats warm malaria and gu poison; facilitates the essence of medicines. Long-term consumption prevents nightmares and sleep paralysis, lightens the body, and leads to immortality. Also known as Mi Xiang (Honey Fragrance). Grows in the valleys of Yongchang.

Tao Hongjing states: This is Qing Mu Xiang (Indonesian Costus Root). Yongchang no longer offers tribute; now it all comes via foreign ships (pronounced 'bai'), said to be from Da Qin (Rome). It is effective for treating toxic swellings and dissipating evil qi. Currently, it is used primarily for incense blending and not for medicinal use. It is only used in making vermifuge pills. Boiling it for bathing is highly beneficial. The *Bencao Shu Yi* (Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica) notes: There are two types; those coming from Kunlun are superior, while those from Western Hu are inferior. Leaves resemble *Rumex* (Sheep's Sorrel) but are larger and longer. Flowers resemble chrysanthemums; fruits are yellow-black. They are also found elsewhere. According to another commentary: Leaves resemble *Dioscorea* (Yam) but the root is large; flowers are purple; efficacy is extensive, making it a crucial medicinal material. Tao's statement that it is not used medicinally is incorrect.臣 Yuxi et al., according to the Shu edition: Now cultivated in imperial gardens, flowers are yellow, seedlings are three to four chi high, leaves are eight to nine cun long, wrinkled, soft, and hairy. *Yaoxing Lun* (Discussion on Medicinal Properties) states: Mu Xiang is the Sovereign herb. Treats women's blood and qi disorders, unbearable stabbing heart pain; powdered and taken with wine, it treats nine types of heart pain, chronic cold qi, phlegm-rheum masses causing distension and pain, drives upward rushing stagnant qi, irritability, cholera with vomiting and diarrhea, and stabbing abdominal pain. *Book of Sui* records: Fan Zigai, Prefect of Wuwei, when the Imperial Carriage toured west towards Tuyuhun, knowing there were many miasmas, offered Qing Mu Xiang to ward off fog and dew. *Nanzhou Yiwu Zhi* (Records of Strange Things in the Southern Regions) states: Qing Mu Xiang comes from Tianzhu (India), is a root, resembling Licorice (*Gan Cao*). Xiao Bing states: Qing Mu Xiang has similar functions. Also states: Those from Kunlun ships resembling dry bones are good. Ri Hua Zi states: Treats all qi disorders in the chest and abdomen, stops diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, calms the fetus, strengthens spleen, aids digestion, treats emaciation, cold pain in the bladder, vomiting, and regurgitation.

*Tujing* (Illustrated Classic) states: Mu Xiang grows in the valleys of Yongchang; currently, only Guangzhou receives shipments by sea; it is not produced elsewhere. Tao Hongjing states: It is Qing Mu Xiang. The root crown is roughly like an eggplant; leaves resemble *Rumex* but are larger and longer; flowers resemble chrysanthemums; fruits are yellow-black. Some have leaves like sweet potatoes and open purple flowers. Roots and buds are harvested at any time for medicine. Those resembling dry bones are superior. In the Jianghuai region, there is a variety called Tu Qing Mu Xiang (Local Green Costus), which is unsuitable for medicinal use. Wang Chang of Former Shu also cultivated it in his garden, describing seedlings three to four chi high, leaves eight to nine cun long, wrinkled, soft, hairy, opening yellow flowers; this is likely a variety of Tu Mu Xiang (Earth Costus). *Xu Chuanxin Fang* (Continued Records of Faith-Inspring Prescriptions) records Zhang Zhongjing's Qing Mu Xiang Wan (Green Costus Pill), treating various deficiencies due to yang decline. It uses Kunlun Qing Mu Xiang and He Zi Pi (Areca Seed Pericarp) from six routes, twenty liang each, sifted into powder, mixed with rock sugar. Fu Ma Duwei Zheng (name forgotten) removed the rock sugar, added twelve liang of Ling Yang Jiao (Antelope Horn), made into pills the size of wet pepper seeds, taken thirty pills at a time with wine on an empty stomach, twice daily; the effect is very rapid. However, the prescription does not resemble ancient formulas, yet claims to be Zhang Zhongjing's; the source is unknown. According to *Xiuyang Shu* (Books on Cultivation): On the first day of the first month, boil five woods to bathe, ensuring black hair and beard until old age. Xu Kai's annotation states: Daoists call Qing Mu Xiang one of the Five Fragrances (Wu Xiang), also called Five Woods. Daoists often use this for bathing, which must be the meaning. Furthermore: Ancient prescriptions for carbuncles and sores use Wu Xiang Tang (Five Fragrance Decoction), which includes Qing Mu Xiang. That Qing Mu Xiang is named among the Five Fragrances is indeed true.

Hai Yao, consulting *Shan Hai Jing* (Classic of Mountains and Seas): Grows on Kunlun Mountain in the East Sea. Lei Gong states: When using, the fragrant part consists of reed-like vine roots spiraling to the left. After harvesting for twenty-nine days, they become hard like rotten wood and break easily. Those with green-colored root tips are considered the spirit of Mu Xiang. *Waitai Miyao* (Essential Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies): Treats fox odor; if the inner thighs and genital area are constantly moist and smelly, or develop sores. Soak Qing Mu Xiang in good vinegar and place between the armpits; it heals immediately. *Shanghan Leiyao* (Classified Essentials for Cold Damage): For epidemic febrile diseases manifesting as red-black spots like KT. Use two liang of Qing Mu Xiang, two sheng of water, boil to one sheng, take in one dose; effective. Sun Shangyao: Treats dysentery in men, women, and children. Take one piece of Mu Xiang, one cun square, and half liang of Huang Lian (Coptis Rhizome). Decoct these two ingredients in half a sheng of water until dry. Remove the Huang Lian, thinly slice the Mu Xiang, bake until dry, and grind into powder. Three doses: First with Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel) decoction, second with aged rice water, third with Gan Cao (Licorice Root) decoction. This formula was passed down by Li Jingchun. A woman suffering from chronic dysentery near death received this formula from Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) in a dream; upon taking it, she recovered. Bieshuo states: Consulting Mu Xiang, it now all comes from foreign lands, i.e., Qing Mu Xiang; Tao's description is accurate. It originally belonged in the Herb Category. However, the variety recorded in *Tujing* from Guangzhou is woody. The varieties from Chuzhou and Haizhou are actually roots of *Aristolochia Manshuriensis* (Ma Dou Ling), merely local folk names. Their treatments for cold and heat patterns are quite different. These three types should naturally be classified under an external category name.

*Yanyi* (Expanded Meaning) states: Mu Xiang specifically drains and resolves stagnation and cold qi in the chest and abdomen; other effects are secondary. It works excellently when assisted by Chen Pi (Tangerine Peel), Rou Dou Kou (Nutmeg), and Sheng Jiang (Fresh Ginger), yielding particularly rapid results. Another type, once obtained from Minzhou beyond the frontier, was fresh Qing Mu Xiang brought back to Xiluo. Leaves resemble *Arctium* (Burdock) but are narrower and longer; stems are three to four chi high; flowers are yellow, like coins. The root is Qing Mu Xiang. Chewed raw, it is extremely pungent and aromatic, especially effective for moving qi.