A Guide to Flowers in Chinese Medicinal History

Flower-based medicines have been integral to Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, contributing significantly to disease prevention and treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine dates back over 2,500 years and has maintained a deep appreciation for the therapeutic qualities of flowers like chrysanthemum and lotus. In Chinese medical theory, flowers are classified according to their thermal nature, taste, and energetic properties, forming a sophisticated system of healing that continues to influence modern practices.

Historical Timeline

Early Foundations

During the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 BC onwards), imperial doctors were organized into four departments, and the number of commonly used medicinal materials exceeded a hundred, consisting of herbs, animal material, and minerals. The foundations of Chinese herbal medicine were established during this period, with flowers playing an important role in the growing pharmacopeia.

Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD)

The Shen Nong Materia Medica, dating from the Han Dynasty around 25 AD, was the first text to record certain medicinal flowers. This classical text established the categorization system still used today, classifying herbs into different grades based on their properties and effects.

Tang and Song Dynasties (618-1279 AD)

During Tang and Song dynasties, scholars and artists became devoted to flowers like plum blossoms for their beautiful appearance, fragrance, and virtues, expanding both their ornamental and medicinal uses. The Song Dynasty saw flowers widely used in herbal medicine, and festivals like the Peony Festival celebrated specific blooms.

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

The Compendium of Materia Medica was compiled by Shizhen Li (1518-1593) in the Ming Dynasty, collecting knowledge of traditional medical materials and treatments in utmost detail. This comprehensive work documented flower-based medicines and their applications, becoming one of the most influential medical texts in Chinese history.

Key Medicinal Flowers

Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua, 菊花)

History: Chrysanthemum originates in China and has been used for over 3,000 years as a diet, especially flower tea for healthcare and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ancient Chinese writings mention the flower from as far back as the 15th century BC.

Properties: Sweet and bitter in taste, cool in energy. Targets the lungs and liver.

Traditional Uses:

• Traditional efficacies include “scattering cold,” “cleaning heat and toxin,” and “brightening eyes”
• Commonly prescribed for headaches, dizziness, dry eyes, excessive tears, blurry vision, floaters, deafness, and tinnitus
• Chrysanthemum tea relieves internal heat and fever, particularly after consuming spicy and baked foods
• White chrysanthemums soothe sore and irritated eyes, while yellow chrysanthemums treat fevers, headaches, and dizziness

Clinical Applications: Effective for treating fever, headache, sore throat, and hypertension.

Honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua, 金银花)

Properties: Cold in nature, sweet in taste. Targets the lungs, stomach, and large intestine.

Traditional Uses:

• Used to cool blood, clear heat, remove toxins, and expel wind-heat
• Prescribed for dysentery, appendicitis, carbuncles, boils, some lung abscesses, and pain or swelling in the eyes, breast, and throat
• Often used for colds, flu, and sore throats, and was even used in combination with three other herbs as a treatment for swine flu
• Known for anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects

Lotus (Lian Hua, 莲花)

History: The lotus flower, along with its leaves, seeds, and roots, has been widely used in Chinese medicine and cuisine for more than 1,000 years. It holds special significance in both Buddhism and Taoism as a symbol of purity.

Properties: Used for calming effects and treating various ailments.

Traditional Uses:

• Used for treating bleeding disorders, including bloody noses, as well as irritability and fevers
• Used for calming the mind
• Lotus seeds were used to aid digestion and help with insomnia, while petals were thought to have a cooling effect on the body

Safflower (Hong Hua, 红花)

Properties: Pungent and warm in nature. Focuses on the heart and liver.

Traditional Uses:

• Used to increase blood circulation, assist with circulation-related pain, and sometimes to relieve rashes
• Prescribed for dysmenorrhoea (period pain), amenorrhea (absence of periods), and abdominal pain, especially after pregnancy
• Among the blood-promoting herbs that aid circulation, nourish blood, increase its production, and have anti-thrombotic properties

Magnolia Flower (Xin Yi, 辛夷)

Properties: Pungent and warm. Targets the lung and stomach.

Traditional Uses:

• Used to expel wind-cold and open up nasal passages, often prescribed for sinus headaches, sinus congestion, excessive nasal mucus, toothache, and loss of sense of smell
• Particularly helpful for nasal congestion and chronic sinusitis
• Aids in indigestion, depression, constipation, headache, asthma, anxiety, inflammation, and stress

Rose (Mei Gui Hua, 玫瑰花)

History: The cultivation of roses started in China at least 5,000 years ago. Chinese people started to grow the Chinese rose about 2,000 years ago, and in the Han Dynasty, Chinese roses were widely grown in royal gardens.

Properties: Sweet and slightly bitter in taste, warming in nature. Targets the liver and spleen.

Traditional Uses:

• Regulates liver qi, harmonizes the stomach, and improves blood circulation while removing blood stasis
• Prescribed for stomach or hypochondriac pain, trauma, or irregular menstruation
• The roots, leaves, and flowers are used to cure menstruation disorders
• Sometimes prescribed as a soak for baths or foot baths to reduce muscle tension

Peony (Mu Dan, 牡丹)

History: Initially used as valuable medicine in ancient times, peony was cultivated on a large scale during Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), introduced to royals in Sui Dynasty (581-618), and became highly valued in Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Traditional Uses:

• Peony root was applied in traditional remedies for inflammation
• The flower became known as the “King of Flowers” and symbolized wealth, prosperity, and honor

Theoretical Framework

The Five Flavors (Wu Wei)

The five flavors help determine what an herb can do: Pungent (disperses and moves qi and blood), Bitter (descends, drains, purges, dries dampness, and tonifies yin), Sour (astringes or holds into the body), Sweet (repairs and tonifies things in the body), and Salty (softens hardness and flushes the body).

The Four Energies

The four energies describe the nature of the herb – cold is associated with mint while heat is associated with ginger. Flowers are classified as having hot, warm, cool, or cold energies, which determine their therapeutic applications.

Channel Theory

Each medicinal flower targets specific body systems or channels (meridians) to address particular symptoms. This targeting principle allows practitioners to select appropriate flowers based on the location and nature of the ailment.

Preparation Methods

Flowers in Chinese medicine were prepared in various forms:

• Teas and decoctions: The most common method, especially for chrysanthemum and honeysuckle
• Powders: Flowers dried and ground for internal or external use
• Oils and ointments: For topical applications
• Pills: Combined with other herbs and formed with binders like honey
• Soaks: For baths or foot baths to absorb medicinal properties through the skin

Modern Relevance

The theory of dietary herbal medicines has a history of thousands of years, with many herbal flowers serving as dietary herbal medicines contributing significantly to the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Traditional flower treatments are getting a fresh look as researchers study these age-old practices to see how they can fit with today’s medical standards.

Contemporary applications include:

• Standardized herbal extracts for consistent dosing
• Natural skincare products incorporating flower compounds
• Aromatherapy using flower essential oils
• Continued use in traditional formulas validated by modern research

Florist guide

The use of flowers in Chinese medicinal history represents a sophisticated understanding of plant therapeutics developed over millennia. From the earliest dynasties through the comprehensive compilations of the Ming Dynasty, flowers have been valued not only for their beauty but for their profound healing properties. Traditional Chinese medicine dates back over 2,500 years and has continued to have a deep appreciation for the therapeutic qualities of flowers. This ancient wisdom continues to inform modern herbal medicine and offers valuable insights into the therapeutic potential of flowers for contemporary healthcare.

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