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TCM Treasures - Chinese peony
By Zhang Qian |
June 16, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SIMPLIFIED Chinese: 芍药 Pinyin: sháo yào
"Shao yao," the Chinese peony, was originally just named "shao." Then when its medicinal properties were discovered, it acquired the second part of its name "yao" - Chinese for medicine.
Hua Tuo, a traditional Chinese medicine master in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), planted the peony in his garden to study for medicinal uses. Finding none, Hua left it growing there for years.
One night, he heard crying and saw a girl in a green dress with a red flower in her hair, standing where the peonies grew. Hua thought this might be the peony feeling wronged at never being used in his medicines.
The very next morning Hua's wife cut her finger chopping vegetables. Nothing would staunch the bleeding, so Hua tried applying mashed peony root. The bleeding ceased immediately and the wound healed within days without a scar.
Hua found peony root effective in stopping bleeding, boosting circulation, relieving pain and regulating periods, recording his findings in "Qing Nang Jing."
Forms include "bai shao" (white peony), where the root is peeled before processing, and "chi shao" (red peony).
"Chi shao" is a "cold" herb that helps relieve pain and inflammation and dispels pathogenic heat in the blood.
Mildly "cold" "bai shao" nourishes the blood and soothes the liver.
Prescriptions & Usage:
For stomachache
Make a decoction of 12g bai shao (white peony), 6g cassia twig, 3g liquorice, 10g ginger and four jujubes and filter it.
Add 30g malt sugar. Simmer and stir.
Drink warm, two-three times a day.
Benefits: Helps relieve stomachache.
For painful menstruation
Make a decoction with 9g bai shao, 3g dried ginger and 20g brown sugar. Filter the decoction and drink two-three times a day.
Benefits: Relieves period pains.
For headaches
Make a decoction with 12g bai shao, 15g dang gui (angelica), and 10g chuan xiong (ligusticum wallichii).
Filter and drink three portions in a day.
Benefits: Relieves headache.
"Shao yao," the Chinese peony, was originally just named "shao." Then when its medicinal properties were discovered, it acquired the second part of its name "yao" - Chinese for medicine.
Hua Tuo, a traditional Chinese medicine master in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), planted the peony in his garden to study for medicinal uses. Finding none, Hua left it growing there for years.
One night, he heard crying and saw a girl in a green dress with a red flower in her hair, standing where the peonies grew. Hua thought this might be the peony feeling wronged at never being used in his medicines.
The very next morning Hua's wife cut her finger chopping vegetables. Nothing would staunch the bleeding, so Hua tried applying mashed peony root. The bleeding ceased immediately and the wound healed within days without a scar.
Hua found peony root effective in stopping bleeding, boosting circulation, relieving pain and regulating periods, recording his findings in "Qing Nang Jing."
Forms include "bai shao" (white peony), where the root is peeled before processing, and "chi shao" (red peony).
"Chi shao" is a "cold" herb that helps relieve pain and inflammation and dispels pathogenic heat in the blood.
Mildly "cold" "bai shao" nourishes the blood and soothes the liver.
Prescriptions & Usage:
For stomachache
Make a decoction of 12g bai shao (white peony), 6g cassia twig, 3g liquorice, 10g ginger and four jujubes and filter it.
Add 30g malt sugar. Simmer and stir.
Drink warm, two-three times a day.
Benefits: Helps relieve stomachache.
For painful menstruation
Make a decoction with 9g bai shao, 3g dried ginger and 20g brown sugar. Filter the decoction and drink two-three times a day.
Benefits: Relieves period pains.
For headaches
Make a decoction with 12g bai shao, 15g dang gui (angelica), and 10g chuan xiong (ligusticum wallichii).
Filter and drink three portions in a day.
Benefits: Relieves headache.
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