Red Peony Root Classic Formulas … Natural Herb Library

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Cools blood and clears heat from the blood level ... Chi Shao is used when rashes, redness, swelling, or febrile blood-heat patterns show a vivid hot quality.
Invigorates blood and dispels stasis ... unlike the more astringing nourishing Bai Shao lane, red peony moves congealed blood and is used for fixed pain, dysmenorrhea, traumatic swelling, and mass-type stasis patterns.
Reduces swelling and relieves pain ... classical use extends to sores, abscesses, and inflamed painful conditions where heat and blood stasis combine.

Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang ... classic blood-stasis formula where Chi Shao cools and moves blood at the same time.
Qing Wen Bai Du Yin ... heat-in-the-blood context showing Chi Shao's blood-cooling role.
Tao Hong Si Wu Tang and related gynecologic stasis formulas ... common use when painful menses or postpartum stasis needs both movement and heat-clearing.

Traditional materia medica describes Chi Shao as bitter and slightly cold, entering the Liver and Spleen to cool blood, dispel stasis, and alleviate pain.
The standard teaching contrast with Bai Shao is central ... Chi Shao moves and cools more strongly, while Bai Shao nourishes and restrains more strongly.