本名蜜香。（香气如蜜）昔人谓之青木香。后因马兜铃根呼为青木香。（其治疗冷热相
殊）乃呼此为南木香广木香以别之。又名五木香者。一株五根。茎五枝。枝五叶。叶间五节
故也。烧之能彻九天。草类者从外国舶上来。（一云出大秦国。一云产昆仑。以昆仑来者为
胜。此绝不可得。又西番来者劣。）产广州者乃是木类。
苦甘微辛。其气温热。气味俱浓。沉而降。阴中阳也。主治气劣气不足。调诸气。和胃
气。行肝气。散滞气于肺。上膈破结气。在中下焦散积年久冷聚块。通行一切气。疗心腹冷
痛。呕逆反胃。霍乱泄痢。下及膀胱小肠凝寒为病。又主脬渗小便秘。并冲脉为病逆气里急。
安
生姜相佐使。其效尤速。（宗 ）除肺中滞气。若治中下二焦气结滞。及不转运。须用槟榔
为使。（洁古）苦辛纯阳。治腹中气不转运。助脾又能升降滞气。（东垣）行肝经气。火煨用
可实大肠。（丹溪）辛能上升。气郁不达者宜此调之。若阴火冲上。则反助火邪。当用黄柏
知母。而少以木香佐之。（又）木香乃三焦气分药。诸气 郁。皆属于肺。故上焦用之。中
气不运。皆属于脾。故中焦宜之。大肠气滞则后重。膀胱气不化则癃淋。肝气郁则为痛。故
下焦复宜之。（
气。破也。安胎
也。（海藏）佐
清明开发。行药之神。同延胡。治女人血气刺心。痛不可忍。同牵牛雷丸槟榔。杀一切虫。
佐黄连芍药。治一滞下。惟身热作呕口渴者。勿用。同橘皮砂仁白蔻苏叶。调一切气。及冷
气攻痛作泄。大
治气滞腰痛。
〔论〕木香产于南土。气温而味苦辛。纯阳之药也。阳者其精奉于上。何以诸家俱判为
降。
用。升者亦旋为降用。所以能升降滞气也。夫升降不能离乎中土。是物根枝节叶各具中五土
数。非秉升降之枢者乎。然则助脾乃其首功。行肝即其次及。以升降神而肝之生化不穷也。
生化不穷。则何冷气之不行。又何诸气为病之不疗乎。凡物之气。其温热者本升。升乃气之
达。寒凉者本降。降乃气之郁。惟兹味禀于温热。乃能纵降而升。即自升而降。正合于阳从
地升。复从天降。俾一切寒凉之着。皆无留行。此升降自然之机。不可以破泄真气目之者也。
就升降
又或因寒凉而其气益虚。和以兹味。俾寒凉无伐气之患。如治痢之香连丸。又如治气虚而病
肝火者。投此味于苦寒中。其效乃捷。陶氏所由目为引药之精。而缪氏又云清明开发。行药
之神也。缪氏云。详其治疗。与今白木香当是两种。今市肆所有。正白木香也。其味辛。其
气温。专主诸气不顺而已。肺虚有热者。慎无犯之。元气虚脱。及阴虚内热。诸病有热。心
痛属火者。禁用。
〔修治〕形如枯骨。味苦粘牙者良。凡入理气药。忌见火。入煎药。磨汁内熟汤中服。
若实大肠。宜面煨熟用。
原名蜜香。（香气如同蜂蜜）古人称之为青木香。后来因为马兜铃的根被称为青木香，（其治疗冷热病证的效果不同），于是将此药称为南木香、广木香以作区别。又被称为五木香的原因，是因为一株植物有五根，茎有五枝，每枝有五叶，叶间有五节。燃烧时烟气能直达九天。属于草类的木香是从外国船运来的。（一种说法产自大秦国，一种说法产自昆仑山，以从昆仑运来的品质最佳，但这已绝对无法获得；另一种说法西番运来的品质较差）。产自广州的则是木类药材。
味苦、甘，微辛。药性温热。气味都很浓厚，性质沉降，属于阴中之阳。主治气虚、元气不足，调理各种气机，调和胃气，疏肝行气，疏散肺部的滞气，破除上膈的结气，在中下焦消散积存多年的冷积肿块，通行全身一切气机，治疗心腹冷痛，呕吐逆气、反胃，霍乱泄痢，以及膀胱和小肠因凝寒引起的病证。又主治膀胱渗泄、小便不通，以及冲脉为病引起的逆气里急。
生姜作为辅助药物，疗效更加迅速。（李东垣观点）能清除肺中的滞气。如果治疗中下二焦的气结滞涩及气机不运转，必须用槟榔作为引导药。（张洁古观点）味苦辛，属纯阳之品，治疗腹部气机不运转，助脾又能升降滞气。（李东垣观点）运行肝经之气，火煨使用可以固涩大肠。（朱丹溪观点）辛味能上升，对于气郁不达的情况适宜用此药调理。如果是阴火上冲，则会反而助长火邪，应当使用黄柏、知母，并少量加入木香作为辅助。（又论）木香是三焦气分的药物。诸气郁结，都归属于肺，所以上焦用它；中气不运转，都归属于脾，所以中焦适宜用它；大肠气滞则出现后重感，膀胱气化不利则出现癃淋，肝气郁结则产生疼痛，所以下焦也适宜用它。（张元素观点）破气，安胎。（张元素观点）佐使药。清明开发，是行药的神物。同延胡索一起，治疗妇女血气刺痛，疼痛难以忍受。同牵牛子、雷丸、槟榔一起，杀灭各种寄生虫。佐黄连、芍药，治疗痢疾。只有身体发热、呕吐、口渴的患者，不要使用。同陈皮、砂仁、白豆蔻、紫苏叶一起，调理各种气机，以及冷气攻痛导致的泄泻。
〔论述〕木香产于南方土地，药性温热，味道苦辛，是纯阳的药物。阳气精华奉输于上，为什么各家都判断它为降？实际上升者随即转为降用，所以能够升降滞气。升降不能离开中土（脾胃），这株植物的根、枝、节、叶都具有“五”这个中土之数，难道不是具备升降枢纽作用的吗？然而，助脾是它的首要功效，行肝是其其次的功效，凭借升降之神妙，使得肝的生化功能无穷无尽。生化无穷，那么什么冷气不能运行？又有什么气病不能治疗呢？凡是药物的气，温热的本来主升，升是气的通达；寒凉的本来主降，降是气的郁结。唯独这种药禀受温热之气，却能纵容下降而上升，即从升转而降，正符合阳气从地上升，再从天空下降的自然规律，使得一切寒凉之邪都无法停留运行。这是升降的自然机理，不可以将其视为破泄真气的行为。就升降而言，有时因为寒凉导致气益发虚弱，配合这种药，使得寒凉不伤害正气。比如治疗痢疾的香连丸，又如治疗气虚而患肝火的病人，将这种药投入苦寒药中，疗效才迅速。这就是陶氏称其为引药精品的原因，而缪希雍又说它是清明开发、行药的神物。缪希雍说：详细考察其治疗作用，与现在的白木香应该是两种不同的药。现在市场上有的，正是白木香。它的味道辛，药性温，专门主治各种气不顺而已。肺虚有热的患者，千万不要触犯它。元气虚脱，以及阴虚内热，各种有病有热的情况，心痛属于火证的，禁用。
〔炮制〕形状像枯骨，味道苦且粘牙的是良材。凡是入理气药方，忌讳见火；入煎剂药，需磨汁加入熟汤中服用。如果要实大肠，宜用面粉煨熟后使用。
Original name: Mixiang (Honey Fragrance). (Its fragrance resembles honey.) Ancients called it Qingmuxiang (Green Atractylodes Root). Later, because the root of Aristolochia manshuriensis was also called Qingmuxiang, (its therapeutic effects on cold and heat patterns differ significantly), this herb was renamed Nanmuxiang (Southern Aromatic Root) or Guangmuxiang (Guangdong Aromatic Root) to distinguish it. It is also known as Wumuxiang (Five-Aromatic Root) because one plant has five roots, five stems, five branches per stem, and five nodes between leaves. When burned, its smoke reaches the highest heavens. The type classified as herbs comes from foreign ships by sea. (One account says it originates from Daqin [Rome], another from Kunlun; those from Kunlun are superior, but these are absolutely unobtainable now. Those from Xifan [Tibet] are inferior.) The variety produced in Guangzhou belongs to the woody category.
Bitter, sweet, slightly pungent. Its nature is warm and hot. Both aroma and flavor are strong. It sinks and descends, representing Yang within Yin. It mainly treats Qi deficiency and insufficiency, regulates various Qi mechanisms, harmonizes Stomach Qi, moves Liver Qi, disperses stagnant Qi in the Lungs, breaks up knotted Qi in the upper diaphragm, and dissipates chronic cold accumulations and masses in the Middle and Lower Jiao. It promotes the circulation of all Qi throughout the body, treats cold pain in the heart and abdomen, vomiting with reverse flow and regurgitation, cholera-like diarrhea and dysentery, and diseases of the Bladder and Small Intestine caused by congealed cold. It also treats bladder leakage and urinary retention, and conditions of the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) characterized by rebellious Qi and internal urgency.
Ginger acts as an assistant drug, making the effect even faster. (Li Dongyuan's view) It clears stagnant Qi in the Lungs. If treating Qi stagnation and non-circulation in the Middle and Lower Jiao, Betel Nut (Binlang) must be used as a guiding agent. (Zhang Jiegu's view) Bitter and pungent, purely Yang in nature. It treats abdominal Qi non-circulation, assists the Spleen, and regulates the ascending and descending of stagnant Qi. (Li Dongyuan's view) Moves Qi in the Liver Meridian. When roasted with fire, it can consolidate the Large Intestine. (Zhu Danxi's view) Pungency allows upward movement; suitable for regulating cases of Qi depression and failure to reach. However, if Yin Fire rebels upward, it will instead assist the Fire pathogen. In such cases, Phellodendri Cortex (Huangbai) and Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (Zhimu) should be used, with a small amount of Muxiang added as an assistant. (Further discussion) Muxiang is a drug for the Qi aspect of the Triple Burner. All Qi depressions belong to the Lungs, so it is used in the Upper Jiao. Middle Qi non-circulation belongs to the Spleen, so it is suitable for the Middle Jiao. Large Intestine Qi stagnation causes tenesmus; Bladder Qi failure to transform causes strangury; Liver Qi depression causes pain, so it is also suitable for the Lower Jiao. (Zhang Yuansu's view) Breaks Qi, calms the fetus. (Zhang Yuansu's view) Assistant drug. Clear and bright development, it is the divine spirit of moving drugs. Combined with Corydalis Rhizoma (Yanhusuo), it treats stabbing heart pain due to Blood and Qi stagnation in women, which is unbearable. Combined with Semen Kochiae (Qianniu), Ophiocordyceps Sinensis (Leiwu - *Note: likely referring to a specific parasitic fungus or similar antiparasitic agent in context*), and Betel Nut (Binlang), it kills all parasites. Assisted by Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) and Paeoniae Radix Alba (Shaoyao), it treats dysentery. However, it should not be used in patients with body heat, vomiting, and thirst. Combined with Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chenpi), Amomi Fructus Rotundus (Sharen), Cardamomi Fructus (Baiko), and Perillae Folium (Suye), it regulates all Qi mechanisms, as well as diarrhea caused by Cold Qi attacking and causing pain.
[Discussion] Muxiang is produced in southern lands. Its nature is warm, and its taste is bitter and pungent. It is a purely Yang drug. Yang essence is offered upwards. Why do all schools judge it as descending? Actually, what ascends immediately turns to descend, thus enabling the regulation of stagnant Qi. Ascending and descending cannot depart from the Central Earth (Spleen/Stomach). This plant's roots, branches, nodes, and leaves all possess the number "five," which corresponds to the Central Earth. Is it not endowed with the pivot of ascending and descending? Therefore, assisting the Spleen is its primary merit, and moving the Liver is its secondary merit. Through the divine power of ascending and descending, the generation and transformation of the Liver become inexhaustible. With inexhaustible generation and transformation, what cold Qi cannot move? And what Qi disease cannot be treated? Generally, the Qi of substances that are warm and hot naturally ascends; ascending is the thoroughness of Qi. Those that are cold and cool naturally descend; descending is the depression of Qi. Only this substance, imbued with warm and hot Qi, can facilitate descent while ascending, i.e., transforming from ascent to descent. This perfectly aligns with the principle that Yang rises from the earth and descends from heaven, allowing all cold and cool pathogens to have no place to linger. This is the natural mechanism of ascending and descending and should not be viewed as damaging true Qi through breaking and purging. Regarding ascending and descending, sometimes due to cold and cool, Qi becomes increasingly deficient. Combining it with this substance prevents cold and cool from harming Qi. For example, in Xianglian Wan (Aromatic Coptis Pill) for treating dysentery, or when treating Qi deficiency with Liver Fire, adding this substance to bitter-cold formulas yields rapid effects. This is why Tao Hongjing called it the essence of guiding drugs, and Miao Hiyong said it is the divine spirit of clear and bright development. Miao Hiyong stated: Upon detailed examination of its therapeutic actions, it should be two different species from the current Baimuxiang (White Aromatic Root). What is currently available in markets is indeed Baimuxiang. Its taste is pungent, its nature is warm, and it specifically treats all forms of adverse Qi. Patients with Lung deficiency and internal heat should strictly avoid it. It is contraindicated in cases of Yuan Qi (Primordial Qi) deficiency and collapse, Yin deficiency with internal heat, any disease accompanied by heat, and Heart pain attributed to Fire.
[Processing] Those resembling dry bones, with a bitter taste that sticks to the teeth, are of good quality. When included in Qi-regulating prescriptions, it must not be exposed to fire. When included in decoctions, it should be ground into juice and mixed into cooked soup for administration. To consolidate the Large Intestine, it should be roasted with flour until cooked before use.