Chinese Herbology Correspondances

Chinese Herbology Correspondences

A list of herbal medicinal correspondences within Traditional Chinese Medicine. It would irresponsible and dangerous to play with these in a medicinal context without years of proper training, but I believe these could be experimented with to formulate magickal (non-nonsumable!) botanicals outside of the hoodoo and European herbalist traditions. It would be interesting to formulate based on drying / moistening / heating / cooling properties.

This is not limited to herbs, but includes rhizomes, fruits, minerals, and animal products / parts. Most of them are unfamiliar to me, but there are several that are also recognizable outside of Asian contexts.


Ref: Chinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology (John K. Chen and Tina T. Chen)


Exterior-Releasing Herbs

Substances that ‘release the exterior’ act to dispel pathogenic factors from the external and superficial parts of the body.

Personal Note: Could be used for banishing and purification? Angelica archangelica can be used for banishing in western magickal herbalism; perhaps this could be extended to Angelica dahurica. Cicada moultings sound like a fantastic ingredient for a magickal botanical.

Summary
  • Arctium / Burdock Fruit
  • Bupleurum / Hare’s Ear
  • Cassia
  • Centipeda Herb
  • Chrysanthemum Flower
  • Cicada Moulting (not a herb)
  • Cimicifuga / Bugbane Rhizome
  • Cinnamon
  • Chinese Lovage Root
  • Dahurican Angelica Root*
  • Elsholtzia
  • Ephedera / Rough Horsetail
  • Equisetum
  • Ginger (fresh)
  • Half-Spreading Ironweed
  • Indian Abutilon
  • Magnolia Flower
  • Mint
  • Mulberry Leaves
  • Notopterygium
  • Paederia
  • Perilla Leaf
  • Pueraria Root / Kudzu
  • Scallion
  • Schizonpeta
  • Siler
  • Soybean
  • Spirodela / Common Duckweed
  • Vernonia
  • Vitex / Chastetree Fruit
  • Xanthium Fruit

Heat-Clearing Herbs

Address imbalances caused by excessive heat, whether mild or extreme, at various levels of pathological penetration of the body, by clearing heat, purging fire, or cooling organs or substances injured by heat.

Personal Note: Could be used for cooling passions?

Summary
  • Abrus
  • Ampelopsis
  • Anemarrhena
  • Andrographis
  • Asiatic Pennywort
  • Bamboo Leaves
  • Barbed Skullcap Herb
  • Bear Gallbladder (not a herb)
  • Belamcanda
  • Bezoar (not a herb)
  • Brucea Seed
  • Buddleja / Pale Butterfly Bush Flower
  • Celosia Argenta Seed
  • Celosia Flower
  • Coptis Root
  • Cremastra
  • Cynanchum / Blackened Swallowwort Root
  • Dandelion
  • Devil Pepper Root
  • Dictamnus
  • Eriocaulis / Buerger Pipewort Flower
  • Euonymus
  • Eupatorium
  • Fibraurea
  • Forsythia
  • Fraxinus, Ash Bark
  • Gardenia / Cape Jasmine Fruit
  • Gentiana
  • Green Tea
  • Gypsum (not a herb)
  • Hibiscus Root
  • Honeysuckle Flower, Stem
  • Houttuynia
  • Human Urine Sediment (not a herb)
  • lndian Sinocrassula
  • Indian Stingbush
  • Indigo
  • Isatis Leaves, Root / Indigo Woad Leaves, Root
  • Lasiosphaera
  • Leucas
  • Lippia
  • Lithospermum Root
  • Lobelia
  • Lophatherum
  • Lotus Leaf
  • Lycium Root Bark
  • Melothria
  • Mirabilite Crystal (not a herb)
  • Moutan / Tree Peony Bark
  • Mung Beans
  • Oldenlandia
  • Oolong Tea
  • Paris Rhizome
  • Phellodendron Bark / Chinese Cork Tree Bark
  • Phragmites Root
  • Physalis Angulata
  • Picrorhiza
  • Portulaca
  • Prinsepia Seed
  • Prunella / Common Self-Heal
  • Pteris / Spider Brake
  • Pulsatilla
  • Rabdosia
  • Red Peony Root
  • Rhaponticum, Broad Leaf Globe Thistle Root
  • Rhemannia
  • Rhinocerus Horn (not a herb)
  • Rostellularia / Justicia
  • Sargentodoxa Vine
  • Scrophularia / Figwort Root
  • Scute / Baikal Skullcap Root
  • Sedum
  • Semiaquilegia
  • Senecio / Ragwort Herb
  • Smilax
  • Snake Gourd Root
  • Solanum
  • Sophora
  • St. John’s Wort
  • Stellaria Root
  • Sweet Wormwood
  • Thlaspia
  • Tinospora
  • Watermelon Fruit & Rind
  • Weeping Willow Leaves
  • White Olive Root
  • Wild Chrysanthemum Flower

Downward Draining Herbs

Substances that eliminate pathogenic factors and conditions via purgative, laxative or cathartic means.

Personal Note: Could be used for banishing and expelling?

Summary
  • Aloe
  • Cannabis Seed
  • Chinese Dwarf Cherry Seed
  • Croton Fruit, Seed
  • Euphorbia
  • Genkwa Flower
  • Morning Glory Seed
  • Pokeberry Root
  • Rhubarb Root
  • Senna Leaves
  • Sodium Sulfate (not a herb)

Wind-Damp Dispelling Herbs

Herbs that dispel wind and dampness eliminate these pathogenic factors from muscles and joints to relieve obstruction and pain associated with bi zheng (painful obstruction syndrome).

Personal Note: Could be used for blockbusting and emotional pain relief?

Summary
  • Acanthopanax Root Bark
  • Ardisia Root
  • Aristolochia Root
  • Beach Morning Glory
  • Bungarus
  • Chinese Taxillus
  • Clematis Root
  • Common Broad Lily Root
  • Dioscorea Nipponica
  • Erythrina / Himalayan Coral Bean Bark
  • Garden Basalm
  • Gentiana Macrophylla Root
  • Geranium
  • Glory Bower Leaves
  • Homalomena
  • Kadsura
  • Knotty Pine
  • Limonium
  • Moghania
  • Mulberry Twigs
  • Paniculate Swallowwort Root
  • Papaya
  • Piper Vine
  • Pubescent Anglica Root
  • Pyrola
  • Schefflera Root
  • Siegesbeckia
  • Silkworm Feces (not a herb)
  • Snake Skin Slough (not a herb)
  • Solidago
  • Star Jasmine Vine
  • Stephania Root
  • Tiger Bone (not a herb)
  • Vanieria

Aromatic Damp-Dissolving Herbs

Enhance the function of the Spleen to dissolve, dry or disperse dampness, transforming and transporting substances that would otherwise accumulate to cause damp imbalance or obstruction.

Personal Note: Could be used for blockbusting, road opening, sweetening, or success / wealth magick?

Summary
  • Agastache / Wrinkled Giant Hyssop
  • Amomum Fruit
  • Cardamom
  • Eupatorium
  • Katsumada Galangal Seed
  • Magnolia Bark
  • Sword-Like Atractylodes Rhizome
  • Tsaoko Fruit

Water-Regulating and Damp-Resolving Herbs

Substances that regulate water and resolve dampness act to normalize water circulation, eliminate water accumulation and drain dampness.

Personal Note: Could be used for refreshing a situation, balancing emotions, combating the evil eye, or sex magick?

Summary
  • Adsuki Bean / Rice Bean
  • Alisma
  • Aristolochia Stem
  • Asiatic Plantain Seed
  • Benicasa Peel
  • Bidens
  • Cat’s Whiskers (actually a herb)
  • Chinese Wax Gourd Seed
  • Clematis
  • Coix Seeds / Job’s Tears
  • Common Knotgrass Herb
  • Corn Silk
  • Crinite Pogonatherum
  • Dianthus
  • Dichondra
  • Elephantopi
  • Euphorbia
  • Hyptis
  • Juncus / Rush
  • Kochia / Broom Cypress Fruit
  • Loose Strife Herb
  • Ludwiga / Climbing Seed Box
  • Lygodium Spores
  • Malva
  • Polyporus
  • Poria
  • Pyrrosia / Japanese Felt Fern
  • Rice Paper Plant Pith
  • Scarlet Glory Bower
  • Talc (*known carcinogen!)
  • Tokoro
  • Virgate Wormwood
  • Viticus

Interior-Warming Herbs

Herbs that warm the interior of the body and dispel cold.

Personal Note: Could be used for instigating, exciting passions, sweetening, or sex magick?

Summary
  • Aconite (hella toxic!)
  • Alpinia / Galanga
  • Asarum / Chinese Wild Ginger
  • Black Pepper
  • Cassia Bark
  • Cinnamon Bark
  • Clove
  • Fennel Seed
  • Ginger (dried)
  • Litsea
  • Long Pepper
  • Medicinal Evodia Fruit
  • Star Anise
  • Zanthoxylum / Prickly Ash Pepper Tree Peel

Qi-Regulating Herbs

Herbs that regulate qi function to promote normal circulation of qi, correct reversed flow of qi, and eliminate qi stagnation.

Personal Note: Sandalwood & Citrus may be an ideal incense blend for household harmony and good energy flow.

Summary
  • Akebia Fruit
  • Aquilaria / Chinese Eaglewood
  • Areca Husk / Betel Nut Peel
  • Aristolochia Herb, Root
  • Bakeri / Long-Stamen Onion Bulb
  • Basil
  • Bitter Orange
  • Ccanavalia / Sword Bean
  • Chinese Buckeye Seed
  • Citrus Fruit, Peel
  • Costus Root
  • Finger Citron
  • Green Tangerine Peel
  • Ilex
  • Immature Sweet Orange
  • Kaki Calyx
  • Lindera Root
  • Lychee Seed
  • Melia / Sichuan Chinaberry Fruit
  • Nardostachys
  • Nutgrass Rhizome
  • Sandalwood
  • Sebastan Plum Cordia

Digestive Herbs

Herbs that promote digestion function to strengthen the Spleen, enhance the appetite, promote digestion, and relieve food stagnation.

Personal Note: Could be used for blockbusting, road opening, sweetening, or success magick?

Summary
  • Barley Sprouts
  • Chicken Gizzard
  • Hawthorn Berry
  • Massa Fermentata
  • Radish Seed
  • Red Yeast Rice
  • Sprouted Millet

Antiparasitic Herbs

These herbs act to kill and repel parasites, relieve pain, and reduce stagnation. Applications for these herbs include treatment of internal and external parasites, such as roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, and ringworm.

Personal Note: Could be used for protection, warding, banishing, and cord-cutting? Pumpkin seed could be added to Four Thieves Vinegar.

Summary
  • Agrimonia
  • Areca Seed / Betel Nut
  • Carpesium Fruit
  • Dryopteris Root
  • Quisqualis / Rangoon Creeper Fruit
  • Melia Bark / China Berry Tree Bark
  • Omphalia
  • Pumpkin Seed
  • Torreya Seed
  • Ulmus

Stop-Bleeding Herbs

These herbs stop bleeding, both internally and externally.

Personal Note: Could be used for controlling, binding, silencing, calming passions, or healing?

Summary
  • Agrimony
  • Argy Wormwood Leaf
  • Bletilla
  • Bulrush / Cattail Pollen
  • Callicarp Leaf
  • Cirisium / Japanese Thistle
  • Charred Human Hair (not a herb)
  • Common Cephaloplos
  • Garden Burnet Root
  • Imperata / Lalang Grass Rhizome
  • Indian Madder Root
  • Lotus Recepticle
  • Lotus Rhizome Node
  • Japanese Pagoda Tree Flower
  • Mirabilis
  • Notoginseng
  • Ophicalcite
  • Platycladus Leaves
  • Rosa Cymosa
  • Selaginella
  • Soot and Ash from an Enclosed Fire Pit
  • Trachycarpus Stiple Fiber

Blood-lnvigorating and Stasis-RemovĂ­ng Herbs

Herbs that invigorate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis function to open blood vessels, activate blood circulation, disperse blood stagnation, and break blood stasis.

Personal Note: Could be used for uncrossing or road opening? The Chinese name for “Beautiful Sweetgum Fruit” literally means all roads open.

Summary
  • Achyranthes Root
  • Artemisiae Anomalae
  • Bat Droppings (not a herb)
  • Beautiful Sweetgum Fruit
  • Corydalis
  • Curcuma Zedoaria
  • Dried Lacquer
  • Euployphaga (not a herb)
  • Frankincense / Olibanum
  • Gadfly (not a herb)
  • Ilex Pubescentis
  • Kalopanacis
  • Lindernia
  • Lycopodium
  • Lycopus / Hirsute Shiny Bugleweed
  • Medicinal Cyathula Root
  • Medicinal Leech (not a herb)
  • Motherwort Herb
  • Myrhh
  • Pangolin Scales (not a herb)
  • Peach Seed
  • Polygonum Cuspydatum
  • Pteropus Feces (not a herb)
  • Pyrite
  • Rosewood
  • Safflower
  • Salvia Root
  • Sappan Wood
  • Sichuan Lovage Rhizome
  • Sparganium
  • Turmeric
  • Vaccaria Seed
  • Verbena

Phlegm-Resolving and Coughing-and-Wheezing-Relieving Herbs

Resolve phlegm, arrest coughing, and relieve wheezing and dyspnea. In other words, they have expectorant, antitussive, and antiasthmatic functions.

Summary
  • Apricot Seed
  • Arisaema Pulvis (not a herb)
  • Aristolochia Fruit
  • Bamboo Shavings
  • Common Hog-Fennel Root
  • Chinese Honey Locust
  • Clam Shell (not a herb)
  • Cynanchum Rhizome
  • Dioscorea Bulbifera Root
  • Eriobotrya / Loquat Leaf
  • Fritillaria Thunbergii
  • Giant Typhonium Rhizome
  • Ginko Leaf, Nut
  • Inula Flowers
  • Jack-in-the-Pulpit Tuber
  • Japanese Stemona Root
  • Kelp
  • Lapis Micae
  • Lepidium
  • Momordica Fruit
  • Mulberry Bark
  • Oroxylum
  • Perilla Fruit
  • Platycodon Root
  • Stalactitum
  • Sterculia Seed
  • Tatarian Aster Root
  • Tussilago
  • White Mustard Seed
  • Pinellia Tuber
  • Pumice
  • Sargassum Seaweed
  • Snake Gourd Fruit, Peel, Seed
  • Tabasheer
  • Unibract

Shen-Calming Herbs

When dealing with imbalances of shen (spirit) and emotions, the medicinal substances that tranquilize and calm the mind and emotions are said to calm the shen.

Summary
  • Albizia Bark
  • Amber
  • Cinnabar
  • Fossilized Animal Bones
  • Lodestone
  • Platycladus Seed
  • Polygala / Siberian Milkwort Root
  • Polygonum Vine
  • Reishi Mushroom
  • Valerian Root
  • Wheat
  • Zizyphus / Spiny Date Seed

Liver-Calming and Wind-Extinguishing Herbs

Substances said to calm Liver wind and sedate Liver yang address a complex range of disorders involving the need to regulate or sedate mild-to-severe spontaneous movement or seizures, heat and mood disturbances, and problems in the head, face and eyes.

Summary
  • Abalone Shell
  • Antelope Horn (not a herb)
  • Cassia Seed
  • Centipede (not a herb)
  • Earthworm (not a herb)
  • Gambir
  • Hematite
  • Lycium Root
  • Mother of Pearl
  • Oyster Shell
  • Pearl
  • Puncture Vine Caltrop FruÏt
  • Scorpion (not a herb)
  • Sick Silkworm
  • Tall Gastrodia Tuber

Orifice-Opening Herbs

Act to dispel any pathogenic blockages in order to restore sensory function and induce consciousness.

Personal Note: use for uncrossing or blockbusting?

Summary
  • Acorus / Grass-Leaf Sweet-Flag Rhizome
  • Borneol
  • Musk
  • Styrax

Tonic Herbs

To ‘tonify’ is to strengthen qi, tonify blood nourish yin, and build yang. Tonic herbs improve functioning of internal organs, strengthen bodily constitution, boost immunity, and improve overall health.

Personal Note: use for empowerment, prosperity, healing, and success magick? Yin-Tonifying herbs could be used for divination, clairs, and psychic development?

Qi-Tonifying Herbs
  • Acanthopanax Root
  • American Ginseng
  • Astragalus / Mongolian Milkvetch Root
  • Codonopsis
  • Dioscoria
  • Dolichos Nut
  • Ginseng Root
  • Gynostemma
  • Honey
  • Japanese Ginseng
  • Jubjube
  • Licorice Root
  • Maltose
  • Pseudostellaria
  • Rice
  • White Atractylodes
Yang-Tonifying Herbs
  • Actinolite
  • Alpinia Fruit
  • Allium Seed
  • Astragalus / Mongolian Milkvetch Seed
  • Cibotium
  • Cistanche
  • Cordyceps Mushroom
  • Curculigo
  • Cynomorium
  • Deer Antler (not a herb)
  • Deer Horn Gelatin
  • Dipascus
  • Dodder Seed
  • Dried Human Placenta
  • Drynaria
  • English Walnut
  • Epimedium
  • Eucommia Bark
  • Fenugreek Seed
  • Gecko
  • Morinda
  • Pipe Fish
  • Psoralea Fruit
  • Sea Cucumber
  • Sea Horse
Blood-Tonifying Herbs
  • Chinese Angelica Root
  • Cooked Rehmannia
  • Donkey-Hide Gelatin
  • Longan Fruit
  • Polygonum
  • White Peony Root
Yin-Tonifying Herbs
  • Adenophora
  • Asparagus Tuber
  • Coastal Glehnia Root
  • Dendrobium Stem
  • Eclipta
  • Hovenia
  • Ligustrum
  • Lily Bulb
  • Lycium Fruit
  • Mulberry Fruit
  • Ophiopogon
  • Paper Mulberry Fruit
  • Polygonatum Rhizome / Fragrant Solomon’s Seal Rhizome
  • Sesame Seed
  • Tortoise Plastron, Shell
  • Turtle Shell
  • Wood Ear

Astringent Herbs

Astringent herbs bind, retain, restrain, and prevent the loss of precious body fluids and substances.

Personal Note: Could be used for binding or protection?

Summary
  • Ailanthus Bark
  • Asiatic Cornelian Cherry Fruit
  • Chebule
  • Cherokee Rose Fruit
  • Chinese Magnolia Vine Fruit
  • Chinese Nut Galls
  • Cuttlefish Bone (not a herb)
  • Ephedera Root
  • Euryale Seed
  • Granatum Rind
  • Limonite
  • Lotus Seed, Embryo, Stamen
  • Mantis Egg Case (not an herb)
  • Mume / Dark Plum
  • Nutmeg
  • Opium Husks
  • Palm-Leaf Raspberry Fruit
  • Red Halloysite
  • Shriveled Wheat

Emetic Herbs

Emetic herbs provoke vomiting, causing the stomach to eject its contents, such as stagnant food, excess mucus, or toxins.

Personal Note: Could be used for cursing, cleansing, banishing, or expelling?

Summary
  • Dichroa Root
  • False-Hellebore Rhizome and Root
  • Melon Pedicle

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Practical Applications


Banishing: Aloe, Cannabis Seed, Cassia, Cinnamon, Cicada Moulting, Chrysanthemum, Ephedra, Fresh Ginger, Magnolia Flowers, Mint, Morning Glory Seed, Mulberry Leaves, Pokeberry Root, Pumpkin Seeds, Rhubarb Root, Scallion, Sodium Sulfate, Soybean


Binding: Charred Human Hair, Ephedera Root, Frankincense, Lotus Seed, Myrhh, Nutmeg, Peach Seed, Pyrite, Rosewood, Turmeric, Verbena, Safflower, Soot and Ash from Enclosed Fire Pit


Blockbusting: Adsuki Bean, Cardamom, Clematis, Corn Silk, Garden Basalm, Geranium, Hawthorn Berry, Magnolia Bark, Mulberry Twigs, Musk, Papaya, Snake Skin Slough, Styrax, Talc


Calming: Abalone Shell, Amber, Ash Bark, Bamboo Leaves, Centipede, Charred Human Hair, Dandelion, Earthworm, Forsythia, Gardenia, Green Tea, Hematite, Hibiscus Root, Honeysuckle Flower, Human Urine, Indigo, Lodestone, Mother of Pearl, Mung Beans, Oolong Tea, Oyster Shell, Pearl, Scorpion, Soot and Ash from an Enclosed Fire Pit, St. John’s Wort, Watermelon, Weeping Willow Leaves, Wheat, Wild Chrysanthemum, Valerian Root


Empowerment: American Ginseng, Dates, Ginseng Root, Honey, Licorice Root, Rice


Exciting: Black Pepper, Cassia Bark, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Cordyceps Mushroom, Deer Antler, English Walnut, Fennel Seed, Fennugreek Seed, Dried Ginger, Star Anise


Healing: Apricot Seed, Bamboo Shavings, Clam Shell, Ginko Leaf / Nut, Kelp, Mulberry Bark, White Mustard Seed, Pumice


Protection: Ephereda Root, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Seeds


Psychic: Lily Bulb, Mulberry Fruit, Sesame Seed, Tortoise / Turtle Shell


Road Opening: Barley Sprouts, Cardamom, Hawthorn Berry, Magnolia Bark, Radish Seed, Sprouted Millet


Silencing: Charred Human Hair, Soot and Ash from Enclosed Fire Pit


Success: Basil, Barley Sprouts, Citrus, Hawthorn Berry, Lychee, Radish Seed, Sandalwood, Sprouted Millet


Sweetening: Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cassia Bark, Cinnamon Bark, Clove, Dried Ginger, Fennel Seed, Hawthorn Berry, Magnolia Bark, Star Anise


Uncrossing: Adzuki Bean, Clematis, Corn Silk, Musk, Styrax, Talc

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this is great! I will work on incorporating these into herb datasheet. Thank you for sharing this!!:heavy_heart_exclamation:

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没问题 :slight_smile:

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