Objective The rhizosphere microbial community plays a critical role in plant growth, development, and quality formation. Therefore, this study systematically isolated plant growth-promoting microbial resources from the rhizosphere of Bupleurum chinense and evaluated their application potential, aiming to provide excellent strains for the development of microbial fertilizers to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Methods Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were isolated and identified from the rhizosphere of B. chinense by the culture-dependent methods. Functional traits of PGPR strains were screened through in vitro assays, and the synergistic growth-promoting effects of PGPR and AMF were subsequently evaluated by a pot experiment. Results A total of 25 PGPR species and 2 AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae and Entrophospora etunicata) were isolated from the rhizosphere of B. chinense. Functional screening of PGPR revealed that Lysobacter antibioticus, Pseudomonas germanica, Rhodococcus corynebacterioides, and Methylobacterium marchantiae exhibited outstanding abilities in indole-3-acetic acid production, organic phosphorus solubilization, inorganic phosphorus solubilization, and nitrogen fixation, respectively. The pot experiment showed that co-inoculation with PGPR and AMF significantly enhanced the plant growth, biomass accumulation, and nutrient uptake of B. chinense, with plant growth-promoting effects markedly greater than single inoculation treatments. Conclusion This study isolated and identified some plant growth-promoting microorganisms from the rhizosphere of B. chinense and demonstrated the synergistic effects between PGPR and AMF, providing valuable microbial resources and theoretical bases for the sustainable cultivation of B. chinense.