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Chi Shao赤芍

Paeoniae Radix Rubra · Red Peony Root

Herbs that Clear Heat 清热药《开宝本草》

Overview

Red peony root — the same genus as Bai Shao and its functional opposite: where Bai Shao nourishes blood and gathers yin, Chi Shao cools the blood and sets it moving. Bitter and slightly cold, entering the Liver channel, it clears heat at the blood level, breaks up stasis and relieves the fixed, stabbing pain that goes with it, and cools the Liver for red painful eyes and hot skin eruptions. The dispensary also stocks dry-fried, vinegar-fried and wine-fried forms: frying tempers its coldness for a weak stomach, vinegar draws it to the Liver and toward pain, and wine-frying strengthens the blood-moving action while blunting the cold.

Nature & Flavor

Bitter · Slightly cold

Channels

Liver

Typical Dosage

6–12 g in decoction
赤芍Photography for this entry is on its way.

Actions

5 core actions

  • Clears heat, cools the bloodHeat entering the blood level with a crimson tongue, macular rashes, nosebleed or coughing of blood.
  • Dispels stasis, relieves painFixed stabbing pain, amenorrhea and clotted painful periods, abdominal masses, and trauma with swelling and bruising.
  • Cools the Liver, clears the eyesRed, swollen, painful eyes and irritability from Liver heat.
  • Reduces sores and swellingsHot, red, painful sores and boils, used within heat-clearing prescriptions.
  • How the processed forms differDry-fried Chi Shao is easier on a cold, weak stomach; vinegar-fried is directed to the Liver for pain; wine-fried moves blood more strongly and is less cold.

In Formulas

Formulas containing Chi Shao

Indications & Clinical Uses

  • Blood-level heat with rashes, nosebleed, coughing of blood
    - Fixed stabbing pain, clotted painful menstruation, amenorrhea, abdominal masses
    - Traumatic swelling and bruising
    - Red painful eyes; hot painful sores

Western Medical Keywords

Searchable condition terms

DysmenorrheaThrombosisContusionConjunctivitisDermatitis

Contraindications

Cautions

Cold and blood-moving: not for cold-deficiency patterns, for bleeding without stasis, or for amenorrhea arising from blood deficiency. Because it invigorates the blood, use it cautiously alongside anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication such as warfarin, and stop it before planned surgery on medical advice. Classical incompatibility: not combined with Li Lu 藜芦.

Contraindicated in pregnancy: Avoid in pregnancy — its blood-moving action makes it unsuitable except on specific practitioner direction.

For licensed practitioners’ reference only

References

  1. Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing《神农本草经》(classical source, public domain).
    2. Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
    3. 《中华人民共和国药典》.

Professional reference notice. Entries are scholarly references for licensed TCM practitioners and students — not medical advice, and not a recommendation to self-prescribe. Chinese herbal formulas should be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner. Content is an original editorial compilation by Cura x Cura, cross-checked against the cited references.