Honeysuckle Flower (Flos Lonicerae japonicae; Jin Yin Hua)


TCM Herbal Story

Honeysuckle Flower (Flos Lonicerae japonicae; Jin Yin Hua)


A long time ago, a pandemic of dysentery quickly spread and plagued the people of Luanchuan County. Many died before they could be treated. A rich local businessman saw the situation as a great opportunity. He hired a few doctors, opened a pharmacy with higher than market prices, and greedily profited. Even though the expensive price tags infuriated the suffering common folk, there was nothing they could do but complain.

  

One day, out of nowhere two twin sisters as pretty as goddesses appeared. Elder sister Golden Flower had a brilliantly radiant gold hairpin on her head; younger sister Silver Flower had an equally sparkly silver hairpin. In a night’s time, a fenced mansion made of bamboo was erected on the mountainside slopes. Within the mansion’s fences grew lush green grasses and flowers. Nobody knew who helped build it, and how did it come to be built in such a short time, but all were curious about what was within the courtyard beyond the fences. Just as people gathered around, the two twin sisters appeared, inviting the curious folk to come in their humble abode as they told their tale. As it turns out, the two sisters were foreign doctors who had just immigrated to the county. Their guests were overjoyed, and spread the news to all the other villagers. Soon, the weak, old, and young were all seeking these two beautiful doctors’ care. Strangely, their methods were extremely effective. With a prick from the younger sister Silver Flower’s silver hairpin, all pain vanished from those who came with troubled stomach. Then as they were medicated with the herbal essence from fresh flowers picked from the courtyard, their illnesses were soon cured. In a moment’s time, the twin sisters’ fame spread far and wide, and the line of patients seeking aid became endless.

 

Needless to say, the rich local businessman was infuriated. The twin sisters had taken away all of his business! Gathering a gang of evildoers to head up the mountains, he threatened to bulldoze the bamboo mansion and capture the twin sisters. As the businessman lead his gang to the bamboo mansion, a thick fog covered the skies and earth, rendering them from advancing forward. As the fog dissipated into the sky, an astonishing fact laid upon their eyes. The bamboo mansion and twin sisters were nowhere in sight. Nothing but the jungle of grasses and flowers was left behind. Vines upon vines, golden and silver morning glories blossoms resembled the hairpins of Golden Flower and Silver Flower. Enraged, the businessman ordered his underlings to uproot the eye-soring flowers and chop it up with swords. Suddenly, a wild gust of wind blew the remains of the flowers high up into the sky and all across the mountains. Shortly after, thunder struck with pouring rain that doused the businessman and his crew till they scampered for safety.

 

The flowers and vines they chopped up were honeysuckles, many of which had roots that soiled and started to grow all across the mountains. The flowers that blossomed would turn from white to yellow. People believed that Golden Flower and Silver Flower were still alive as these flowers are their incarnations, and hence they are aptly named “Golden Silver Flower.”

 

Honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua) is the flower of Lonicerae Japonica Thunb. of the Caprifoliaceae family. Its properties are sweet and cold. It enters through the large intestine, lung, and stomach.

 

 

Actions & Indications:

  • Clears heat and relieves fire toxicity
  • Dispels wind-heat
  • Clears damp-heat from the lower burner

Cautions & Contradictions:

  • Diarrhea due to spleen and stomach cold
  • Sores due to qi deficiency
  • Yin ulcers

The original article is from Brion Research Institute, translated by Sun Ten Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

 

For the Chinese/original version, please click: http://www.brion.org.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1320&Itemid=22

Share this Post:

Related Posts