Green Onion — Classic Formulas
Cong · Bulbus Allii Fistulosi
Primary Actions
- Releases exterior and dispels Wind-Cold — whole green onion (including green stalk and white base) used for early wind-cold colds; slightly broader dispersing action than Cong Bai (white base only)
- Invigorates Yang and disperses Cold — abdominal cold-pain, cold extremities, and nausea from Cold accumulation in the Middle Jiao
- Resolves toxicity — carbuncles, mastitis, and insect bites; applied fresh externally
Classic Formulas
- Cong Chi Tang (葱豉汤) variant — whole Cong (green onion including green parts) combined with Dan Dou Chi for early wind-cold cold; the green stalk adds aromatic Lung-opening properties to complement the Yang-invigorating white base
Classical Text References
- SPECIES NOTE: Herb #93 (Cong, 葱) represents the whole Allium fistulosum plant as used in Chinese food and folk medicine; shares the Latin Bulbus Allii Fistulosi with herb #92 (Cong Bai, 葱白 — white base only) and herb #94 (Si Ji Cong Tou, 四季葱头 — four-season onion bulb); the XLSX source filed three separate entries for this species, likely representing the whole plant, white base, and a specific cultivar variant; in TCM practice, Cong Bai (white base) is the standard drug; the whole plant 'Cong' is primarily a food item with medicinal properties
- Ben Cao Gang Mu (Li Shizhen): 'Cong (green onion) is pungent and warm, stimulates the Lung Qi, disperses Wind-Cold from the surface, warms the Middle Jiao, relieves abdominal pain, and kills insects — it has been used as a food herb for five thousand years'