Jīn Yín Huā (金银花), known in English as Honeysuckle flower (Lonicera japonica), is a cold, sweet Chinese herb from the Clear heat category. It enters the Lung, Heart and Stomach channels. Its main action: clears Heat, resolves Fire toxicity.
| Pinyin | Jīn Yín Huā (Jin Yin Hua) |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 金银花 |
| English | Honeysuckle flower |
| Botanical name | Lonicera japonica |
| Category | Clear heat |
| Nature | Cold |
| Flavour | Sweet |
| Channels | Lung, Heart, Stomach |
| Dosage | 9–30g |
| Cautions | Cold and deficient Spleen/Stomach; no real Heat |
Actions
- Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxicity
- Vents exterior Heat (early stage Wind-Heat)
- Clears Damp-Heat — dysentery
Indications
- Carbuncles, sores
- Wind-Heat exterior
- Damp-Heat dysentery
How to remember Jīn Yín Huā
Clear heat herbs are mostly cool or cold and bitter, and most enter the Stomach and Liver channels.
- You can work these out
- Cold, Stomach channel: like most Clear heat herbs
- Lung channel: from its action “Vents exterior Heat”
- Learn by heart
- Sweet: unusual for Clear heat herbs (most are bitter)
- Heart channel: nothing in its group or its actions points to it
Formulas containing Jīn Yín Huā
Other Clear heat herbs
- Shí Gāo
- Zhī Mǔ
- Huáng Qín
- Huáng Lián
- Huáng Bǎi
- Lóng Dǎn Cǎo
- Zhī Zǐ
- Lián Qiào
- Pú Gōng Yīng
- Tiān Huā Fěn
- Lú Gēn
- Zhú Yè
- Xià Kū Cǎo
- Jué Míng Zǐ
- Kǔ Shēn
- Qín Pí
- Bái Xiān Pí
- Zǐ Huā Dì Dīng
- Bái Huā Shé Shé Cǎo
- Bǎn Lán Gēn
- Tǔ Fú Líng
- Shè Gān
- Dì Gǔ Pí
- Qīng Hāo
- Yín Chái Hú
- Hú Huáng Lián
- Mǔ Dān Pí
- Chì Sháo
- Xuán Shēn
- Shuǐ Niú Jiǎo
- Bái Wēi
- Bái Tóu Wēng
- Bài Jiàng Cǎo
- Yú Xīng Cǎo
- Shān Dòu Gēn
- Mǎ Bó
- Yě Jú Huā
- Lǜ Dòu
- Hé Yè
Test yourself
What is the nature and flavour of Jīn Yín Huā?
Jīn Yín Huā is cold and sweet.
Which channels does Jīn Yín Huā enter?
Jīn Yín Huā enters the Lung, Heart and Stomach channels.
What are the actions of Jīn Yín Huā?
Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxicity; Vents exterior Heat (early stage Wind-Heat); Clears Damp-Heat — dysentery.
What is Jīn Yín Huā used for?
Carbuncles, sores; Wind-Heat exterior; Damp-Heat dysentery.
Which formulas contain Jīn Yín Huā?
Yín Qiào Sǎn, Qīng Yíng Tāng and Wǔ Wèi Xiāo Dú Yǐn.
Practise Jīn Yín Huā and the other 290 herbs
Recognise each herb from its picture, recall its nature, flavour, channels and actions, and review it again just before you would forget it.
Try the 5-question herb quizShen Study is a study tool. Doses and cautions are as taught in standard Chinese materia medica texts; they are not prescribing advice.