Mugwort wool is a soft, fine, cotton-like material obtained by repeatedly sun-drying, pounding, and crushing mugwort leaves, sifting out impurities and dust. It is the raw material for making moxa sticks and the main material for moxibustion.
Made from the dried leaves of the Asteraceae plant, Artemisia. It has a grayish white color, soft and fluffy, easily combustible but does not produce a flame, with a fragrant odor, suitable for moxibustion. There are differences in fineness and coarseness depending on the degree of processing. The coarser ones are often used for warm needles or making moxa sticks, while the finer ones are often used for making moxa cones. The quality is best when it is aged.
Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "When using moxa, one should use the aged and long-lasting variety, treating it to be soft and fine, which is known as cooked moxa; if it is raw moxa, it is easy to injure the muscle and vessels when used for moxibustion." Therefore, it is preferable to use aged moxa for moxibustion. In the process of moxibustion, moxa with a purity ratio of less than 10:1 is suitable for gentle moxibustion, while moxa with a purity ratio of more than 10:1 can be used for direct moxibustion.