Lian Qiao (Forsythia) 【Alias】 Huanghua Tiao, Lian Ke, Qing Qiao
【Properties and Meridian Affinities】 Bitter, slightly cold. Enters the Lung, Heart, and Small Intestine meridians.
【Functions and Indications】 Clears heat and detoxifies, reduces swelling and dissolves nodules, disperses wind-heat. Used for abscesses, scrofula, mastitis, erysipelas, wind-heat colds, initial stages of warm diseases, heat entering the nutritive level, high fever with thirst, delirium with rashes, and painful urinary dribbling.
【Efficacy】
According to the “Yao Long Xiao Pin”: Clears the fire from the six meridians, only treats the upper and middle, does not reach the lower jiao, is a light cooling herb.
According to the “Ben Cao Bian Du”: Bitter first enters the Heart, cold can reach the Lung, various sores and toxins are due to the wandering of evil fire, qi gathering and blood congealing, this herb is used to promote circulation inside and outside.
According to the “Ben Cao Bei Yao”: Dissolves blood congealing in the meridians, promotes urination and regulates menstruation, kills parasites and alleviates pain, reduces swelling and drains pus, is a sacred medicine for the twelve meridian sores.
According to the “Changsha Yao Jie”: Lian Qiao clears the Heart and drains fire, promotes urination and alleviates urinary retention, effectively removes symptoms of stagnant heat, especially promotes blood circulation and regulates menstruation, treats abscesses and scrofula, excels in reducing swelling and draining pus.
According to the “Ben Cao Yan Yi”: It does not grow in many grasses or in damp places, but is abundant in the valleys of Mount Tai. Now only its seeds are used. When broken, the pieces resemble a quill, hence the name. It is most effective for treating heat in the Heart, especially suitable for children.
According to the “Lei Gong Pao Zhi Yao Xing Jie”: Although Lian Qiao is bitter and cold and drains the six meridians, the Heart meridian is the most affected. Conditions like sores and urinary obstruction are all related to Heart fire, hence it can treat them. The properties of the herb are: it removes heat from the six meridians, similar to Chai Hu, but this treats blood heat while Chai Hu treats qi heat.
According to the “Ben Cao Fen Jing”: Bitter and slightly cold, it ascends, enters the Heart and Pericardium to drain fire, also removes damp-heat from the San Jiao, Large Intestine, and Gallbladder meridians, can disperse blood congealing and qi gathering, promotes urination and kills parasites, is a key medicine for the twelve meridian sores, excessive use can reduce appetite.
According to the “Ben Cao Xin Bian”: Drains the guest heat from the Heart, has special effects on damp-heat in the Spleen and Stomach. Removes toxins from abscesses, treats roundworms, is relied upon in sore treatments. Regulates menstruation, alleviates urinary dribbling, disperses blood congealing and qi gathering. However, it can only assist, not be the main herb, can be used to attack evil but should not be relied upon to tonify the body, it can also be an optional herb. Recently, people indiscriminately use it regardless of deficiency or excess, which is laughable. Some ask why Lian Qiao is a key herb for ascending, it is also like licorice among herbs, I believe it can be optional, why? Lian Qiao is indeed not significant.
【Compatibility】
According to the “Ben Cao Cuo Yao”: Drains heat from the Heart and Small Intestine, combined with Qu Mai, Da Huang, and Gan Cao treats neck and side pain; combined with Zhi Ma treats scrofula and tuberculosis, alleviates pain, reduces swelling, and drains pus, is a sacred medicine for sores.
According to the “Ben Jing Feng Yuan”: The root is cold and descends, specifically treats heat and dampness, when damp-heat is removed, the complexion improves, and the eyes become clear. Zhang Zhongjing treats internal heat and yellowing with Ma Huang, Lian Qiao, and Chi Xiao Dou Decoction. However, few in the world know this, as if there were no roots, they replace it with solid herbs.
According to the “Yao Jian”: Combined with Pian Qin, it enters the Lung to drain fire; with Zhi Zi, it guides heat inward; with Ma Huang, it disperses heat outward, hence it is called a sacred medicine for external conditions, is it not because it drains heat with bitterness and disperses fire with pungency?
According to the “Changsha Yao Jie”: In the “Shang Han”, the Ma Huang, Lian Qiao, and Chi Xiao Dou Decoction includes Ma Huang (60g), Sheng Jiang (60g), Gan Cao (30g), Da Zao (12 pieces), Sheng Zi Bai Pi (500g), Xing Ren (40 pieces), Lian Qiao (60g), and Chi Xiao Dou (1 liter). It treats Taiyin cold damage, internal heat and yellowing, the body must turn yellow. Due to the Taiyin dampness being strong, the Stomach Earth is robbed by the Wood, the Lung Metal is punished by the Fire, the Wood Fire is constrained, dampness transforms into heat, hence yellowing occurs. Because of Lung heat, the water pathway is obstructed, dampness has no outlet, Wood governs the five colors, entering the Earth transforms into yellow. Gan, Jujube, and Sheng Jiang tonify the Earth and harmonize the center, Ma Huang drains the stagnation from the skin, Xing Ren descends the Lung qi, Sheng Zi Bai Pi clears the fire and disperses the Wood, Lian Qiao and Chi Xiao Dou drain damp-heat and promote urination.
【Contraindications】
According to the “Ben Cao Bian Du”: Only contraindicated for cold conditions related to external symptoms.
According to the “Ben Cao Hai Li”: Cooling and non-tonifying herbs should not be taken after abscesses have ruptured, and those with heat due to deficiency should not take it. Bitter and cold can harm the Stomach, excessive consumption can reduce appetite, those with weak Spleen and Stomach, prone to diarrhea should not take it.