Medicinal Effects of Chrysanthemum
In honor of 重陽節 (“Double Ninth Festival” chóng yang jié), which is celebrated today, on the ninth day of the ninth month, according to the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, here are some bits of information on the medicinal effects of chrysanthemum. Some of the information repeats itself but I have intentionally left that in so that you can get a better sense of what may be generally accepted uses, as opposed to an individual author’s idiosyncrasies.
For good health, it is customary, on this date, to climb a mountain, ideally in good jovial company, and make a toast to your elders with either Chrysanthemum tea (made by just decocting chrysanthemum flowers in water) or Chrysanthemum Wine (preferably home-made, by concocting a traditional Chinese wine with glutinous rice and yeast, and adding chrysanthemum flowers and perhaps some other medicinals like dāngguī, shēngdìhuáng, or gǒuqǐzǐ). Attention to your health may be a good excuse to find out why it is called “longevity wine”…
《神農本草經》：味苦，平。治風頭眩腫痛，目欲脫，淚出，皮膚死肌，惡風濕痺。
Shénnóng běncǎojīng (Hàn period): Bitter flavor and balanced [in thermodynamics]. It treats wind-head with dizziness, swelling and pain; eyes about to protrude and tearing; dead flesh in the skin; aversion to wind; and damp-related bì Impediment.
《名醫別錄》：味甘，無毒。主治腰痛去來陶陶，除胸中煩熱，安腸胃，利五脈，調四肢。
Míngyī biélù ((third century): Sweet flavor and non-toxic. Indicated for treating lumbar pain that comes and goes with galloping intensity, for eliminating vexing heat in the center of the chest, for calming the intestines and stomach, for disinhibiting the five vessels, and for attuning the four limbs.
《本草拾遺》：味苦。染髭髮令黑，和巨勝、茯苓蜜丸，主風眩變白，不老，益顏色。又靈寶方茯苓合為丸以成，煉松脂和，每服如雞子一丸，令人好顏色不老，主頭眩。
Běncǎo shíyí (739): Bitter flavor. [It is used to] dye mustaches and head hair black, and to harmonize Jùshèng Pills and Fúlíng Honey Pills. It is indicated for wind dizziness and pathological whitening, avoid aging, and boosts the facial complexion. In addition, [the formula for] Língbǎo Pills blends it with fúlíng to make pills by combining it with melted pine resin. Taking one pill the size of a chicken egg per dose causes the person to have beautiful facial complexion, avoid aging, and ruling dizziness.
《藥性論》：使。能治熱頭風旋倒地，腦骨疼痛，身上諸風令消散。
Yàoxìnglùn (7th century): [Has the role of] messenger. It is able to treat hot head and wind spinning, [causing the patient] to fall to the ground, pain in the brain and bones, and all the various wind [conditions] on the body, causing them to scatter.
《日華子本草》：治四肢游風，利血脈，心煩，胃膈壅悶，并癰毒、頭痛，作枕明目。
Rìhuázǐ běncǎo (10th century): Treats roaming wind in the four limbs, disinhibits [the flow of] blood in the vessels, [treats] heart vexation, congestion and oppression in the stomach and diaphragm, as well as welling-abscess poison and pain in the head. When made into a pillow it improves eyesight.
《開寶本草》：療腰痛去來陶陶，除胸中煩熱，安腸胃，利五脈，調四肢。
Kāibǎo běncǎo (973): Cures lumbar pain that comes and goes with galloping intensity, eliminates vexing heat in the center of the chest, calms the intestines and stomach, disinhibits the five vessels, and attunes the four limbs.
《本草衍義》：專治頭目風熱，今多收之作枕。
Běncǎo yǎnyì (1116): Specifically treats wind heat in the head and eyes and is nowadays often gathered to make a pillow with.
《藥性賦》：可升可降，陰中陽也。其用有二：散八風上注之頭眩，止兩目欲脫之淚出。
Yàoxìngfù (Jīn-Yuán Period): Able to cause ascent or descent, it is Yáng within Yīn. There are two different applications: It scatters dizziness caused by the eight winds pouring upward, and it stops tearing in protruding eyes.
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