Witnessed by: TCM
Chinese chive (Allium macrostemon), of the Amaryllidaceae family. Small wild onion with a single rounded bulb and grassy leaves; native range: grassland and field margins across China. Globally recognized as xie bai (薤白) in Chinese, and long-stamen onion, wild garlic bulb in English. The part used is bulb. Little ivory bulb, garlicky and pungent with a sticky pungent juice.
In this cross-tradition database, we analyze how this substance operates across world medicine systems — tracking its traditional tastes, temperatures, tissue affinities, post-digestive effects, and planetary correspondences across Ayurveda, Unani, and Western herbalism.
CHINESE CHIVE
IDENTITY
Name
- Common
- Chinese chive
- Scientific name
- Allium macrostemon Bunge
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
Form
- Part used
- bulb
PROPERTIES
Nature
Taste
how the plant declares itself on the tongue
- TCM
- pungent · bitter
Temperature
- TCM
- warm
Affinity
where in the body it travels
Organs / channels
- TCM
- Lung · Heart · Stomach · Large Intestine
PRACTICE
Virtue
Actions
- TCM
- unblocks and frees the yang, moves qi, dissipates cold clumping, directs qi downward
Cautions
- Contraindications
- caution in qi or yin deficiency without stagnation, and in weak Stomach with acid reflux
- Toxicity
- well tolerated within dose
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