Honeysuckle, known as Jin Yin Hua or “winter-enduring flower” in Chinese medicine, is a highly valued herb often called the “thatch of medicines” for its excellent ability to clear heat and detoxify. With its cold nature, sweet taste, and connection to the lung, stomach, and heart meridians, it’s a key remedy for treating heat-related conditions like sores and sore throats.

Lian Qiao, known as Lian Qiao in Chinese medicine, is a powerful herb often called the “holy remedy for sores.” With its slightly cold nature, bitter taste, and connection to the lung, heart, and small intestine meridians, it excels at clearing heat, detoxifying, and reducing swelling. It’s especially effective for treating sores, skin infections, and heat-related conditions. This article explores Lian Qiao’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other h

Chrysanthemum, also known as “longevity guest” or “golden flower” in Chinese medicine, is a highly valued herb with a long history and wide use. Trusted by doctors and patients alike, it’s known for its cooling and calming effects. This article explores Chrysanthemum’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other herbs, comparisons to similar herbs, modern applications, and important precautions.

Xiang Fu, also known as “sparrow head fragrance” in Chinese medicine, is a key herb for relieving stress and regulating menstruation. Often called the “master herb for qi disorders,” it has a neutral nature, a pungent and slightly bitter taste, and connects to the liver and triple burner meridians. It’s widely used for women’s health issues and symptoms caused by emotional or liver-related stress.

Dan Shen, known as Dan Shen in Chinese medicine, is a highly valued herb famous for improving blood circulation and calming the mind. Often called “one herb equal to four,” it has a slightly cold nature, a bitter taste, and connects to the heart and liver meridians. It’s widely used for heart and women’s health issues. This article explores Dan Shen’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other herbs, comparisons to similar herbs, modern applications, an

Xin Yi, also known as “hope spring flower” in Chinese medicine, is a fragrant herb valued for its ability to clear nasal congestion and relieve pain. It has a warm nature, a pungent taste, and connects to the lung and stomach meridians. It’s commonly used to treat stuffy noses and headaches caused by colds or allergies. This article explores Xin Yi’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other herbs, comparisons to similar herbs, modern applications, and

Poria, also known as Fu Ling in Chinese medicine, may look plain, but it’s a versatile and widely used herb. It has a neutral nature, a sweet and bland taste, and connects to the heart, lung, spleen, and kidney meridians. Known for strengthening the spleen, removing excess dampness, and calming the mind, it’s often called a “four-season miracle herb.” This article explores Poria’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other herbs, comparisons to similar

Sour Jujube Seed, known as Suan Zao Ren in Chinese medicine, is a highly valued herb despite its small size. It has a neutral nature, a sweet taste, and connects to the heart, spleen, liver, and gallbladder meridians. Its main benefits include calming the mind, improving sleep, nourishing yin (the body’s cooling and moistening energy), and reducing excessive sweating. This article explores Sour Jujube Seed’s history, characteristics, uses, benefits, combinations with other he

Compendium of Materia Medica: “Qian Hu has a light qi and mild taste, both rising and descending. It lowers qi, clears phlegm, disperses wind, and clears heat, making it a key herb for the Lung channel.” (Emphasizes Qian Hu’s role in lung-related conditions, lowering qi, and clearing heat.)

Fang Feng is a widely used herb in Chinese medicine, documented in ancient medical texts. Below are key historical mentions: Compendium of Materia Medica: “Fang Feng treats wind, as its name suggests. Zhang Yuansu said: Fang Feng controls all wind conditions. Jiegu said: Fang Feng is highly effective for wind, acting as a guide in wind formulas. It enters the blood, circulates throughout the body, and is essential for paralysis, numbness, dizziness, and stroke.” (Emphasizes F

Chai Hu is a vital Chinese herb with effects like soothing the liver, clearing heat, and lifting yang qi. Chai Hu is an important herb in Chinese medicine, known for its ability to soothe the liver, relieve depression, and clear heat.

San Huang Xie Xin Tang comes from the Eastern Han Dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing’s Essentials from the Golden Cabinet (Jin Gui Yao Lue), a classic Chinese medicine text. This work focuses on diagnosing and treating various internal disorders and includes many formulas still widely used today. San Huang Xie Xin Tang is a key formula designed to treat intense internal heat and fullness under the heart. Known for its simple yet powerful composition, San Huang Xie Xin Tang co

Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, also known as Ligusticum Tea-Regulating Powder, comes from the Prescriptions of the Bureau of Taiping People’s Welfare Pharmacy, a classic Chinese medicine text. This formula is used to treat headaches caused by external wind pathogens and is known for its ability to relieve wind and ease pain. This article explains its ingredients, usage, effects, indications, pathophysiology, modern applications, dietary support, contraindications, and precautions.

Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin comes from the Qing Dynasty medical text Golden Mirror of Medicine (Yi Zong Jin Jian), compiled by Wu Qian and others. This classic work, spanning 90 volumes, gathers the clinical experience and theoretical insights of generations of physicians. It covers Chinese medicine fundamentals, diagnostics, herbal formulas, acupuncture, and more, making it a key reference. Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin, a standout formula, is widely used for treating sores, abscesses, and boil

Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan comes from the Jin Dynasty’s Confucian’s Duties to Their Parents (Ru Men Shi Qin), written by Zhang Congzheng. This classic Chinese medicine formula is renowned for its ability to “promote qi flow, relieve stagnation, clear heat, and ease bowel movements.” It has been widely praised by generations of practitioners as an effective treatment for food stagnation and dysentery. With its qi-regulating, heat-clearing, and laxative effects, Mu Xiang Bing Lang

Si Ni San, from the Eastern Han Dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (Shang Han Za Bing Lun), is a classic Chinese medicine formula. This foundational text established the principles of syndrome differentiation in Chinese medicine.

Bai Hu Tang, from Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases (Shang Han Lun) of the Eastern Han Dynasty, is a classic Chinese medicine formula. Zhang Zhongjing, known as the “Sage of Medicine,” laid the foundation for Chinese medicine’s syndrome differentiation and treatment. Bai Hu Tang is mainly used to treat Yangming syndrome, a condition in the Six-Channel Differentiation, and is renowned for its strong heat-clearing and fluid-generating effects, widely applied by

Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang comes from the Han Dynasty’s Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (Shang Han Za Bing Lun), written by Zhang Zhongjing. This classic Chinese medicine formula is renowned for its ability to nourish blood, stop bleeding, regulate menstruation, and stabilize pregnancy. The text states: “For women with continuous vaginal bleeding, persistent postpartum bleeding, or bleeding during pregnancy with abdominal pain due to uterine obstruction, Jiao A

Qi Ju Di Huang Wan, sourced from Medical Formulas Collected and Analyzed (Yi Fang Ji Jie), is a widely used Chinese medicine formula for nourishing and improving eyesight. It builds on the famous nourishing formula Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, with added Qi Zi (Goji Berry) and Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum) to nourish the liver and kidneys and enhance vision.

Wei Ling Tang comes from the classic Chinese medicine text Dan Xi Xin Fa (Dan Xi’s Essential Methods), written by Zhu Zhenheng, a renowned Yuan Dynasty physician and one of the “Four Great Masters of the Jin-Yuan Period.” His theories and clinical experience greatly influenced Chinese medicine.

Xiang Ru Yin comes from the Song Dynasty’s Prescriptions of the Bureau of Taiping People’s Welfare Pharmacy, a key text in Chinese medicine that records many effective herbal formulas. Xiang Ru Yin is designed to treat spleen and stomach imbalances caused by irregular lifestyles, poor diet, or environmental factors during the hot summer months.

Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang is a traditional Chinese medicine formula from Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (Shang Han Za Bing Lun), renowned for its effectiveness in treating various conditions. This article introduces its composition, effects, indications, and modern applications to help readers better understand this classic herbal remedy.

Yin Chen Wu Ling San originates from the classic Chinese medicine text Fang Ji Xue (Study of Prescriptions), a comprehensive work compiled by multiple Chinese medicine scholars, integrating centuries of clinical experience and theoretical insights. This text covers foundational theories, diagnostic methods, and herbal formulas, making it a key reference in Chinese medicine. Yin Chen Wu Ling San, a classic formula, is widely used for treating jaundice caused by damp-heat, part

Chai Hu Gui Zhi Tang, a classic Chinese medicine formula from the Eastern Han Dynasty physician Zhang Zhongjing’s Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases (Shang Han Lun), is used to treat symptoms caused by wind-cold invasion affecting both the Taiyang and Shaoyang syndromes. The Treatise on Cold Damage Diseases states: “On the sixth or seventh day of a cold-induced illness, with fever, slight chills, aching limbs, mild nausea, chest fullness, and unresolved exterior symptoms, Chai