tonifying
Lily Bulb (Bai He)
百合 · Bǎihé
Lilium brownii var. viridulum
Nature
Cool
Saveur
Sweet
Meridian
Heart, Lung
Bai He — 'hundred unions', named for its tightly layered scales — nourishes lung yin and quiets the heart spirit. Classical texts credited it with treating 'lily disease', the ancient description of melancholy and restlessness after febrile illness. Today it is beloved both as a medicine for dry coughs and as a delicacy in Cantonese desserts.
🌿 Fonctions
- •Nourishes lung yin and stops cough
- •Clears heart heat and calms the spirit
- •Generates fluids
📖 Usage
10–30 g fresh or 9–15 g dried in decoction, sweet soups, and congee; steamed with honey for chronic dry cough.
🔬 Recherche moderne
Lily bulb polysaccharides and colchicine-free phenolic glycosides are studied for antitussive, sedative, and immune-supporting properties.
⚠️ Contre-indications
Avoid with wind-cold coughs and spleen-deficiency loose stools.
