Wei Ling Xian威灵仙
Clematidis Radix · Chinese Clematis Root
Overview
The fibrous root and rhizome of Chinese clematis, dug in autumn and dried. Acrid, salty and warm, it is the most mobile of the wind-damp herbs — acrid to disperse, salty to soften, warm to unblock — and it travels the whole body rather than favouring one region, which is why it suits migrating joint pain that moves from place to place. Practitioners choose it when the joint is stiff and will not bend rather than merely sore. Wine-fried, it moves through the channels more forcefully and is preferred for entrenched, painful bi. It carries one curious classical use as well: decocted with vinegar and sipped slowly for a fish bone caught in the throat.
Nature & Flavor
Acrid, salty · WarmChannels
BladderTypical Dosage
6–9 g in decoctionActions
3 core actions
- Dispels wind-dampWind-damp bi with joint pain that wanders, aggravated by cold and damp weather.
- Opens the channels, relieves bi painStiff, contracted joints that will not bend, numbness of the limbs, and pain along the spine and shoulders; the wine-fried form is used for the most entrenched cases.
- Softens and dislodges a lodged fish boneA classical emergency use: decocted with vinegar and taken in small sips. It is a historical practice, not a substitute for having the bone removed.
In Formulas
Formulas containing Wei Ling Xian
Indications & Clinical Uses
- Wandering joint pain, wind-damp bi
- Joint stiffness and contracture, difficulty bending and stretching
- Numbness of the limbs, pain of the spine and shoulders
- Classically, a fish bone lodged in the throat
Western Medical Keywords
Searchable condition terms
Contraindications
Cautions
Acrid, warm and strongly dispersing: it consumes qi and blood, so it is unsuitable where there is qi or blood deficiency without genuine wind-damp, and it is not for long unsupervised courses. Large doses irritate the stomach and can cause nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhoea — the raw plant is also locally irritant to skin. The fish-bone use deserves a plain warning: a bone stuck in the throat, and any difficulty breathing, drooling, chest pain or bleeding, is a medical emergency and belongs to an ENT department, not to a decoction.
Contraindicated in pregnancy: Avoided in pregnancy — it is strongly dispersing and moving; use only if a practitioner judges it necessary.
For licensed practitioners’ reference only
References
- Bensky, Clavey & Stöger. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, 3rd ed.
2. 《中华人民共和国药典》.
3. 《中药大辞典》.
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.