As winter fades and spring arrives, while other flowers remain silent, one flower eagerly senses the arrival of spring, blooming with a smile, its clusters of yellow blossoms resembling lanterns.
Although it lacks the grandeur of peonies and the brilliance of paeonies, the sight of its golden hue signifies the vitality of blooming life and the hope of spring.
Although lian qiao (Forsythia) is similar to the forsythia flower, it is a tree and taller, while the forsythia flower is a shrub. Moreover, the flowers of lian qiao have four petals, while the forsythia flowers have six petals.
The key difference is that forsythia cannot bear fruit, while lian qiao not only bears fruit but its fruit is also medicinal, making it a powerful herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Today, we will discuss lian qiao, but before that, let’s look at a legend.
According to legend, in ancient times, at the turn of winter to spring, a town experienced a massive epidemic. The disease was fierce, leaving many doctors helpless, and many villagers lost their lives, resulting in widespread mourning.
A girl named lian qiao lost her parents to the epidemic, leaving her alone.
This girl was strong; despite her sadness, she decided to find a remedy for the epidemic to save more people and prevent her tragedy from repeating.
She followed the river upstream, traversing deep mountains and forests. Alone, exhausted and hungry, one day she collapsed from high fever and chills.
Perhaps her sincerity moved the heavens, as a fairy happened to pass by and saved her with a few seeds of a plant. After taking the medicine, she quickly regained consciousness and felt much lighter.
After waking, she told the fairy about her quest for medicine. The fairy was touched and scattered the seeds she carried, causing golden flowers to bloom all over the mountains, shining brightly.
The fairy told her that once these plants bore fruit, they could be boiled into a drink to treat the epidemic.
Upon returning home, the girl shared the method of treating the epidemic with everyone, and soon the epidemic was controlled, restoring peace to the people’s lives.
To commemorate the girl’s contribution, people named this plant that could treat the epidemic lian qiao, and the name has been passed down.
This herb was later recorded in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Shen Nong’s Classic of Materia Medica), where it is described as “mainly treating cold and heat, mouse paralysis, scrofula, carbuncles, tumors, and heat accumulation.”
What specific effects does lian qiao have? Let’s explore in detail.
1. Lian Qiao Dispels Wind-Heat and Can Treat Wind-Heat Colds
At the end of winter and the beginning of spring, the changing seasons and unstable weather, combined with the dryness of spring and the lack of internal yin fluids, make many people susceptible to wind-heat colds. If one stays up late, sleeps poorly, or indulges in greasy and spicy foods, the condition worsens.
The symptoms of wind-heat colds typically include headache, fever, sore throat, and extreme thirst, with a red tongue and thin yellow coating, and a floating rapid pulse, indicating a phenomenon of excess heat in the upper body.
In the early stages of a wind-heat cold, one can take VC Yin Qiao Pian (Yin Qiao Tablets). Although this medicine has a long history, it is still very effective.
If you prefer not to take prepared medicine, you can boil 50 grams of lian qiao in water and drink it. After one or two doses, you will start to sweat slightly, and the symptoms will alleviate. In three to four days, the cold symptoms will completely disappear.
Why is lian qiao so effective for wind-heat colds?
This is because lian qiao is relatively light and can ascend to the heart and lungs, dispersing the heat in the upper body, while also clearing heat and detoxifying, eliminating internal heat. Therefore, it has excellent therapeutic effects in the early stages of wind-heat colds.
2. Lian Qiao Dispels Wind-Heat and Can Treat Wind Rash and Urticaria
In spring, the weather is dry and windy, making many people prone to wind rash, which causes unbearable itching and red marks upon scratching. After a few days, the scratches become mottled and unsightly.
At this time, you can also boil 50 grams of lian qiao in water, and you will see results in one or two days.
Ancient people observed that lian qiao has pointed ends resembling a heart and consists of several petals, leading them to believe that lian qiao can enter the heart meridian, clear the heart fire, and disperse wind-heat outward. Since all pain and itching are related to heat, clearing the heart fire will naturally alleviate the wind rash on the body.
3. Lian Qiao Soothes the Liver and Regulates Qi, Clears Heat and Detoxifies, Can Treat Abscesses, Tumors, and Scrofula
During the Republic of China, a famous doctor named Zhang Xichun had a case involving an elderly woman with a bad temper who often got angry. One time, she developed a painful lump on her arm and sought treatment from Zhang Xichun.
Zhang Xichun prescribed medicine to reduce swelling and dissolve the lump for several courses, but strangely, the lump showed no signs of shrinking, and the elderly woman angrily accused him of being a quack.
Upon further examination, Zhang Xichun found her pulse to be tight and strong, indicating a condition of Shao Yang excess fire. He added 12 grams of lian qiao to the original prescription.
After one course of treatment, the lump on the woman’s arm miraculously disappeared, and surprisingly, her temper improved, and she became much calmer, as if she had transformed into a different person.
This shows that lian qiao not only clears heat and detoxifies but also soothes the liver and regulates Qi, which can reduce swelling and dissolve lumps, earning it the title of “the holy medicine for abscesses.”
The Ben Cao Jing Shu states, “Abscesses and carbuncles are caused by the obstruction of nutritive and defensive Qi. Lian Qiao cools and removes the stagnant heat, disperses the accumulated Qi, thus harmonizing the nutritive and defensive Qi, leading to the resolution of abscesses and swellings!”
The famous physician Li Dongyuan from the Jin-Yuan period said, “Lian Qiao is indispensable among the twelve meridian herbs for abscesses, as it is meant to disperse what is congealed.”
4. Lian Qiao Clears the Heart and Promotes Urination, Can Guide Heat Downward
Lian Qiao has a round middle section and pointed ends, resembling a heart, allowing it to enter the heart meridian and clear heart fire. Since the heart and small intestine are interrelated, lian qiao can also clear heat from the small intestine.
When boiled, lian qiao has a mild taste, making it effective for promoting urination and treating urinary issues such as frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination.
The formula Ma Huang Lian Qiao Chi Xiao Dou Tang (Ephedra, Forsythia, and Red Bean Decoction) contains lian qiao root, which is actually the root of lian qiao, as noted in the Ben Jing.
Today, lian qiao is often used as a substitute, demonstrating its effectiveness in clearing heat and promoting urination.
For acute urinary tract infections, you can boil 30 grams of lian qiao in water, which can clear heat and promote urination, achieving two benefits at once.
5. Lian Qiao is a Miracle Drug for Stopping Vomiting, Especially Effective for Heat-Induced Vomiting
When discussing the functions of lian qiao, people often think of its ability to disperse wind-heat and treat warm colds, reduce swelling and dissolve lumps, and its reputation as the holy medicine for abscesses. Few realize that lian qiao is also an excellent antiemetic. The commonly used Bao He Wan (Preserve Harmony Pill) contains lian qiao for this reason.
This discovery of lian qiao’s antiemetic properties is credited to Japanese herbalists.
Generally, TCM practitioners recognize lian qiao as a good herb for clearing heat and detoxifying, and the famous Yin Qiao San (Yin Qiao Powder) is named after it.
However, it is not only a herb for clearing heat and detoxifying but also a very effective antiemetic, especially for heat-induced vomiting. The inclusion of lian qiao in Bao He Wan serves this purpose.
This discovery is also attributed to Japanese herbalists.
In the Japanese text Ushiyama Chiyaku, it is recorded: “For adults and children with persistent vomiting, lian qiao can be added to any prescription; this is a family secret.”
In the Sheng Sheng Tang Zhi Yan, it is noted: “A certain child, aged two, suffered from convulsions and continued to vomit milk. Many doctors were at a loss, but upon examination, there was no fever, and the abdomen was normal. A lian qiao decoction was prescribed, and one dose had miraculous effects.”
Modern pharmacological studies indicate:
“The decoction of lian qiao… has an antiemetic effect comparable to that of chlorpromazine two hours after injection.
It can also inhibit vomiting induced by subcutaneous injection of apomorphine in dogs, suggesting that its antiemetic action may be due to the inhibition of the chemoreceptor trigger zone in the medulla oblongata.”
(Yu Yingao, ed. Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Beijing: People’s Health Publishing House, 1995: 730)
For treating vomiting, especially heat-induced vomiting, lian qiao is effective, with symptoms including persistent vomiting, red tongue with yellow coating, and rapid pulse. You can boil 20 grams of lian qiao in water and drink it.
Regarding the effects of lian qiao, the Zhen Zhu Nang summarizes: “The uses of lian qiao are threefold: to drain heat from the heart and lower body; to eliminate heat from the upper body; and to serve as the holy medicine for abscesses.”
It is important to note that lian qiao is bitter and cold in nature, and should not be used by those with spleen and stomach deficiency or by pregnant women.
For a detailed introduction to lian qiao, please refer to the third article.
Note:This account aims to promote Traditional Chinese Medicine culture. The TCM knowledge mentioned in this article is for learning and exchange purposes only.
WeChat has been updated! If you neither starred me nor liked or “looked at” my articles, the system will assume you do not wish to receive updates on herbal knowledge, and ultimately, you will not receive our article updates.
Thank you for your patience in reading. If you find this article appealing, please click “like” and “look” at the bottom.
As the ancient saying goes, “In a group of three, there must be a teacher for me.” To facilitate the integration and exchange of knowledge among TCM practitioners, we are preparing to establish a discussion group on herbal knowledge. If you wish to join, please add the editor on WeChat and specify your identity. The editor invites you to join the group.
