The Beginning of Spring is the first solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar. The character "立" (lì) signifies "beginning." The period from the day this solar term commences until just before the Start of Summer is collectively known as spring. Spring symbolizes growth, cultivation, and sowing. As the saying goes, "The year's plan begins in spring." Since ancient times, the Beginning of Spring has been a major festival, known as the Spring Festival.Traditionally, the fifteen days of Lichun are divided into three periods: First period: The east wind thaws the ice. Second period: Hibernating insects begin to stir. Third period: Fish swim beneath the ice.Five days after the Spring Festival, hibernating insects gradually awaken in their burrows. Another five days later, river ice begins to melt, and fish start swimming near the surface. At this time, fragments of ice that haven't fully dissolved still float on the water, appearing as if carried by the fish.Yet yin cold persists, marking a transitional phase where yin wanes and yang grows, cold departs and warmth arrives—a shift from chill to warmth. Spring weather fluctuates dramatically, with significant temperature swings. According to natural attributes, spring corresponds to wood and resonates with the liver. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the liver governs free flow, regulates blood volume, harmonizes emotions, aids digestion, softens tendons, and nourishes the eyes. Thus, spring health preservation focuses primarily on liver care.
Spring demands special attention to liver care to align with the season's rhythm. The liver thrives on smooth flow and possesses dispersing functions, while wood embodies the quality of growth—hence the liver's association with "wood." The liver's physiological role is to regulate flow. As rising yang energy may easily deplete yin, nourishing yin becomes particularly crucial. Liver stagnation can easily overpower spleen earth, and emotional distress can weaken spleen-stomach function. Preventing "liver fire rising" is essential.A cheerful disposition not only prevents liver fire from rising but also supports the growth of yang energy. After the Start of Spring, as the weather gradually warms and all things revive, the yang energy within the human body also rises upward and outward with the arrival of spring.
Spring health preservation should align with the characteristics of rising yang energy. Both diet and daily routines should follow the nature of the liver, support spleen energy, and harmonize the five organs to achieve the goal of disease prevention and health maintenance.Proper liver care in spring paves the way for year-round health and longevity. How does one nurture the liver? Traditional Chinese Medicine views the liver as a "strong organ"—yin in substance yet yang in function. Replenishing liver yin and enriching liver blood provides the essential foundation for the liver's ascending and dispersing functions. This balance is crucial for preventing both excessive and deficient liver qi, maintaining the liver's yin-yang equilibrium.
Here are several Chinese herbs that nourish, soften, and support the liver's ascending function:
1. White Peony Root (Bai Shao)
The dried root of Paeonia lactiflora, a plant in the Ranunculaceae family. Bitter and sour in taste, slightly cold in nature; enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. Its sour property enters the Liver, nourishing blood, consolidating yin, softening the Liver to relieve pain, and calming Liver yang.This herb nourishes blood and softens the liver, alleviating urgency and relieving pain. It is used for chest and rib pain, abdominal pain, and limb stiffness caused by liver qi disharmony. When used raw, white peony root can consolidate yin and subdue liver yang, thus treating headaches and dizziness due to excessive liver yang. Clinically, it is also used for blood deficiency with pallor, irregular menstruation, spontaneous sweating, and night sweats.
Modern research indicates this herb contains paeoniflorin, paeoniflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, volatile oils, fatty oils, resins, tannins, sugars, starch, mucilage, and proteins. It exhibits hepatoprotective effects and inhibits gastric acid secretion.
Decoct for oral use at 3–9 grams daily, or incorporate into pills or powders. White peony root and red peony root were not distinguished in the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica, collectively referred to as peony root. They were first differentiated during the late Tang and early Song dynasties.Though both white and red peony originate from the same plant and possess a slightly cold nature, traditional texts state: "White nourishes, red drains; white consolidates, red disperses." White peony nourishes blood, calms the liver, and excels at consolidating yin; red peony cools blood, activates blood circulation, and excels at dispersing stasis. Therefore, white peony is commonly used in formulas for nourishing blood, replenishing yin, and regulating menstruation;Red peony root is frequently used in formulas for clearing heat, cooling blood, and promoting blood circulation to remove stasis.Sweet and sour in taste, cold in nature; enters the Kidney and Liver meridians. Its sour property enters the Liver, nourishing both Liver and Kidney while cooling blood and stopping bleeding. Indicated for loose teeth, premature graying of hair, dizziness with tinnitus, soreness in waist and knees, yin deficiency with blood heat, hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, bloody diarrhea, metrorrhagia, and traumatic bleeding.For premature graying due to kidney deficiency, combine Polygonum aviculare with prepared Polygonum multiflorum and mulberry fruit. For kidney deficiency-related lower back pain, nocturnal emissions, fatigue, and tinnitus, combine Polygonum aviculare with Ligustrum lucidum.Modern research indicates this herb contains nicotine, trithione methanol, trithione formaldehyde, saponins, tannins, bitter principles, isoflavone glycosides, and scutellarin. Its water extract exhibits significant hemostatic effects and also increases coronary blood flow.
Take 10-30 grams daily, prepared as a decoction or juice.
3. Ligustrum Fruit (女贞子)
The fruit of Ligustrum lucidum (Oleaceae family).Bitter, sweet, neutral in nature; enters Liver and Kidney meridians. Nourishes Liver and Kidneys, strengthens waist and knees, improves vision, and darkens hair. Treats yin deficiency with internal heat, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, sore waist and knees, and premature graying. Ben Cao Zai Xin states: "Nourishes yin and benefits Kidneys, supplements qi and soothes Liver. Treats waist and leg pain, regulates menstruation and harmonizes blood."Modern research indicates it contains ligustrin, oleuropein, oleanolic acid, 4-hydroxy-β-phenylethyl-β-D-glucoside, and betulin. Oleanolic acid exhibits anti-hepatic injury, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and anti-atherosclerotic effects.
Internal use: Decoct 5-10 grams daily; may be made into paste or pills. Soak Ligustrum berries in rice wine at a 1:1 ratio and consume in moderation daily.